Museum man retires

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 504, 21 September 1993, Page 3

Museum man retires

by Jenelle Frewen The Army lost but the Waiouru community gained yesterday with the retirement of Museum Director Major Peter Pitts. Now Maj Pitts will be able to give his full attention to the duties of President of the RSA and chairman of the Waiouru Community Board, not to mention what he considers his first priority, decreasing his golf handicap. Of the twenty-one and a half years spent in the Army Maj Pitts has served the last 10 in Waiouru, making his the longest consecutive service there, of anyone in the New Zealand Army. Maj Pitts has enjoyed a very interesting career including two trips to Singapore and attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant before attending the Army's Officer CadetTraining Unitin 1981 to become a Second Lieutenant at the age of 30. For the past 15-months Maj Pitts has been the Director of the QEII Army

Memorial Museum. "The opening of the North Africa exhibition was the most satisfying and enjoyable achievement during my time at the Museum", Maj Pitts said. Although spending 10 consecutive years in Waiouru is an unusual arrangement it suited Maj Pitts very well, because during that time he was a solo parent with two young boys to bring up, Geoffrey, 19 and Steven 17 both attended Waiouru Primary School and Ruapehu College with Geoffrey now continuing his studies at Victoria University. "The people have been the best thing about living in Waiouru," said Maj Pitts who has been able to get to kno w the civilians there just as well as the Army personnel. ThoughMaj Pitts doesn't have too many plans for the future as yet he is keen to see Waiouru progress and develop an identity of its own.

"I'd like to see it as a home for people rather than just a transit place. I'd like to make people proud of Waiouru." Maj Pitts has plenty of positive things to say about Waiouru including his belief that "you can get more for your dollar activitieswise in Waiouru, than in any large city in New Zealand."

Maj Pitts believes his departure from the Army couldn 'thave been at amore favourable time. "I still love what I'm doing so I'm leaving with a very positive framework," he said. Hopefully then, this reorganised community leader can pass on that attitude to residents and visitors alike.