In memory of a good Dunedin working man

THIS month saw the passing of Colin Butler, one of Dunedin's essential workers whose family helped feed Dunedin during the war with their Leith Farm (immortalised by Butlers Overbridge on the motorway and a generation before with Butler St, Maori Hill).

In his 80 years Colin toiled at farming on the Taieri, carpet laying, hawking vegetables, fixing cars and lawnmowers, working on cargo ships at the port, recycling Austin Sevens and Morris 1100s as well as keeping the pubs in Kaikorai Valley going.

His extended family where mostly unsung essential workers who also supported their communities through sports, charity theatre and community projects as well as keeping our phones and power going.

If you live in Otago/Southland chances are one of his extended family, of which I am honoured to be, will have helped you in some way or other.

Thanks Hope and Sons and the Austin & Club guys for giving him a good sendoff.

Aaron Nicholson

Manapouri

Balmoral Castle

JULY 4, 1968. It was an afternoon to remember on that date.

My Aberdeenbased brother, Dick, his wife, Joy, daughter Jennifer and son Kenneth, escorted me to Balmoral Castle.

We entered the grounds, not a person to be seen!

We wandered around the grounds, set in magnificent Highland scenery. Not a person to be seen!

We looked in the castle windows. Not a person to be seen!

We ventured into nearby tiny Crathie Church. Not a worshipper to be seen!

Certainly a memorable visit to Balmoral.

Clarke Isaacs

Sunshine

BETWEEN a rock and a hard place. As much as I appreciate the information published by the ODT, I am left in a quandary. With the upcoming election, we the ratepayers and residents of Dunedin need to select a new mayor and council. We are going to employ, on a threeyear fixedterm contract, people, based on a three to fourparagraph CV. No business or organsation would make such important employment decisions based on such small CVs . The dilemma is, if I don’t vote due insufficient information, then we may end up with a mayor and council selected randomly or where their name occurs in the alphabet. If I do vote, I am promoting poorquality selection (insufficient information)

Eric Meinders

Dunedin