Southern View: November 04, 2021
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Thursday <strong>November</strong> 4 <strong>2021</strong> 3<br />
50-year gathering for former post office workers<br />
• By John Cosgrove<br />
IT GOES LIKE THIS: Former post office investigative officers Rod Cameron (left) and Wayne Butterworth look over one of<br />
the franking machines recovered from the central post office building in Cathedral Square. On a commemorative plate,<br />
former post office admin staff from the typing pool – Colleen Eathorne of Redwood (left) and Ann Matheson of Waimairi<br />
Beach – spot the windows they used to look out of.<br />
PHOTOS: JOHN COSGROVE <br />
STORIES OF adventures and<br />
shenanigans had in the typing<br />
pool or in the mail rooms<br />
were recounted as 50 former<br />
employees of the Post Office met<br />
for the first time in 50 years.<br />
The former administration<br />
staff members had all worked at<br />
some stage of their careers in the<br />
old Christchurch chief post office<br />
in the Cathedral Square.<br />
Chief postmasters office reunion<br />
committee chairman Rod<br />
Cameron of Beckenham, said it<br />
was a good time to reminisce.<br />
Cameron, a former post<br />
investigations officer, said that<br />
over the past year a group of<br />
ex-employees had been working<br />
online organising the staff reunion<br />
held at the Cashmere Club<br />
on Saturday.<br />
“It has been quite difficult<br />
trying to track down all these<br />
people with who we previously<br />
worked with, but not seen for<br />
some 50 years.<br />
“We were fortunate however<br />
in tracing and contacting a total<br />
116 personal and managed to<br />
get 50 people to come along to<br />
the reunion.<br />
“Many of those interested<br />
in attending now live overseas<br />
and were really keen to come<br />
but unfortunately were unable,”<br />
Cameron said.<br />
Cameron started in 1961 as a<br />
telegram boy before eventually<br />
becoming an investigating officer<br />
chasing up stolen mail or<br />
fraud scams.<br />
“Much of what we got up to on<br />
the job we can’t tell anyone about<br />
as people today would think<br />
we’re mean or they wouldn’t get<br />
the joke but we got away with it<br />
in those days,” Cameron said.<br />
His funniest memory was<br />
discovering marijuana growing<br />
implements and seeds sent from<br />
overseas.<br />
“We called the police who<br />
followed the parcel to its destination<br />
in a rural community, there<br />
they discovered a massive growing<br />
operation.<br />
Fellow postal investigator<br />
Wayne Butterworth of Sreydon<br />
recalls starting in 1965 as a toll<br />
operator having to juggle calls<br />
because they only had 40 lines to<br />
Wellington to work with.<br />
“Then one day I was looking<br />
out of a window overlooking<br />
the square when I saw a woman<br />
learner driver crash into the only<br />
phone box we had in the square.”<br />
Butterworth said: “ I was on 111<br />
calls that day and had everyone<br />
calling was to report it, all at the<br />
same time.”<br />
Ann Matheson of Waimari<br />
Beach, was a typist during the<br />
late 60s early 70s and recalled<br />
the day a younger woman came<br />
to work in a very, very short<br />
mini skirt, “She was sent home<br />
to change into something more<br />
appropriate so she returned in<br />
a maxi dress just to annoy the<br />
supervisor,” she said.<br />
Matheson recalls in 1970 being<br />
paid $1195 per annum for their<br />
work which came out to $39 per<br />
week.<br />
Fellow typist pool member<br />
Colleen Eathorne of Redwood,<br />
said she remembers they had<br />
a great social life there and<br />
many life-long relationships or<br />
friendships were made there.<br />
Seconds<br />
Available<br />
Factory Shop<br />
238 Port Hills Road,<br />
Heathcote<br />
corner of Port Hills and Chapmans<br />
shop hours<br />
Monday to Saturday<br />
8am - 5pm<br />
Sunday 9am - 4pm<br />
Jayne and I would like to thank you for the work you’ve done to get us where<br />
we are today. Bit of a blur really. Every step in the process has gone into<br />
achieving the result today that exceeded our expectations. The detail and<br />
professionalism has been on point. Staging, photography, the video along<br />
with the marketing campaign all leading to a great property to present to<br />
the market. These aspects all set the scene perfectly for the open homes and<br />
visits leading to today’s outstanding auction result. Quiet night tonight but<br />
sure there will be a few celebratory drinks later in the week.<br />
- Jason Scott & Jayne Lesley Rhodes -<br />
Phone or text 027 555 7079<br />
REINZ Residential Salesperson of the Year across all brands in NZ<br />
No.1 Harcourts Canterbury 2012-<strong>2021</strong><br />
cameron.bailey@harcourts.co.nz<br />
No.1 Harcourts New Zealand 2017-<strong>2021</strong><br />
www.cameronbailey.harcourts.co.nz No.1 Harcourts International 2017-<strong>2021</strong><br />
Licensed Sales Consultant REAA 2008
Change language