'Sandy' farewelled by colleagues, fellow members and friends

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 18, 24 September 1985, Page 2

'Sandy' farewelled by colleagues, fellow members and friends

Post Offlce staff from Ohakune held a farewell function at the Ohakune Club for 'Sandy' Peddieson* last week prior to his departure for Taupo. About 30 of his colleagues attended last Tuesday's function and presented him with a handsomely packaged 17oz Steve Davis billiard cue as a going-away present. . .Sandy had demonstrated his interest and prowess at 8-ball and snooker as a regular patron of the Ohakune Club. At a function later in the evening Ohakune Club staff and members combined to present him with a set of glasses and a combination clock-radio while the Indoor Bowls Club, of which he was a member, presented him with a leather wallet. 'Sandy' (real name Alexander Ian) is leaving Ohakune after seven happy years. . ."I don't really want to leave but I also want to be nearer my family — I have four children who live in Rotorua." "Why else would I want to leave Ohakune where the people are so friendly," he said.

Sandy, who has been with the Post Office for 13 years, was a foreman linesman with the telephone branch at Ohakune before he left but had to drop back to linesman and accept a salary cut of $3000 a year in order to be near his family. He was unable to transfer with the same status and seniority as no vacancy existed for a foreman linesman in the Taupo-Rotorua area at the present time. Sandy's work during the

last seven years has taken him all over the Waimarino area from Waiouru, Irirangi, Pipiriki, Karioi, Kakatahi, Ruatiti, Raetihi, Turoa Skifield, and north to the Makotote Viaduct — beyond that it's the responsibility of the Taumarunui exchange — but he's also familiar with the Taupo region...he did a tour of duty there about nine years ago. He took up his new ap-

pointment in Taupo last Thursday. *We think we got his name right. When the Bulletin interviewed him at his farewell party we commented on the unusual spelling of Peddieson saying that it was the first time we had seen it spelt that way. He replied, after giving the matter serious consideration: "as a matter of fact it's the first time I've seen it spelt that way myself!"