Whanganui police sergeant Nick Brunger said the couple began to find his behaviour unpleasant and asked him to leave.
"It was just sort of inappropriate talk; they didn't really like his general outlook on life and just made them feel uncomfortable."
Brunger said it wasn't till some time after Harding had moved on that the couple came across some publicity and realised who their guest was.
There have been a few other sightings reported by businesses who'd seen Harding. An alleged victim's relative had also come down from Whanganui and seen him while handing out pamphlets, only for him to make a getaway through the back-door of a local store.
The police sergeant said it was frustrating the elderly gentleman had managed to dodge them yet again.
This is the second time he has managed to evade police - the last public appeal for sightings of Harding was in May last year. He turned himself into a Hawke's Bay police station a week later.
He was wanted in relation to activities that had led a number of concerned relatives to lay formal complaints in March, launching a police investigation.
The daughter of a 73-year-old woman left broken-hearted after the "lovely man" she'd planned to marry left her without a word of warning, said the family had been left "devastated".
She said Harding had been nothing but warm and charming and was considered a part of the family - until the day he left on a "trip to the dairy" never to return.
The grand-daughter of another woman, in her 80s with dementia, claimed her nana had given Harding about $30,000.
"We can't prove that it wasn't a gift because, at the time, she was of sound mind."
Anyone with information as to Harding's whereabouts should contact Sergeant Nick Brunger on 06 349 0600 ext 65014.
The timeline
March: Several formal complaints laid against Harding
April: Harding believed to have left Whanganui
May 14: Police launch public appeal for sightings of Harding
May 20: Harding turns himself into police in the Hawke's Bay
May 24: Doesn't make his court appearance citing health concerns
June 28: Harding enters not guilty pleas at the Whanganui District Court and is remanded on bail
Late July: early August: Leaves his bail address in Liverpool St, Whanganui
August 9: Fails to reappear in the Whanganui District Court. A visit to his home reveals he was no longer at the bail address
Late August: Banking activities indicate Harding could be in Wellington
September 6: Police launch another public appeal for sightings of Harding
September 8: Alert for Harding put on Police Ten 7
December: Stays with a Wellington couple claiming he'd lost his house in the November 7.8 quake
