- Norman Kirk
-
The Right Honourable
Norman Eric Kirk
Norman Kirk on 2 May 1974 29th Prime Minister of New Zealand In office
8 December 1972 – 31 August 1974Monarch Elizabeth II Governor General Denis Blundell Deputy Hugh Watt Preceded by Jack Marshall Succeeded by Hugh Watt (Acting)
Bill Rowling (Formally)19th Leader of the Opposition In office
16 December 1965 – 8 December 1972Preceded by Arnold Nordmeyer Succeeded by Jack Marshall Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for LytteltonIn office
1957 – 1969Preceded by Harry Lake Succeeded by Thomas McGuigan Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for SydenhamIn office
1969 – 1974Preceded by Mabel Howard Succeeded by John Kirk Personal details Born 6 January 1923
Waimate, New ZealandDied 31 August 1974 (aged 51)
Wellington, New ZealandPolitical party Labour Spouse(s) Dame Ruth Kirk (née Lucy Ruth Miller), married 1943 Children Five (Including John Kirk) Profession Railway engineer Religion None (originally Salvation Army) Norman Eric Kirk (6 January 1923 – 31 August 1974) was the 29th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1972 until his sudden death in 1974. He led the Parliamentary wing of the New Zealand Labour Party from 1965 to 1974. He was the fourth Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand, but the first to be born in New Zealand. Kirk had a reputation as the most formidable debater of his time.
Contents
Early life
Born in Waimate, a town in South Canterbury, New Zealand, Norman Kirk came from a strong working-class background, and his household could not afford things such as daily newspapers or a radio.[1]
Kirk did not perform well at school, and left shortly before he turned thirteen. Despite this, however, he enjoyed reading, and often visited libraries. In particular, he enjoyed the study of history and geography.
After leaving school, Kirk worked in a number of jobs, initially as an assistant roof-painter and later as a railway engineer. His health, however, deteriorated, and when the New Zealand Army called him up for military service in 1941 it found him medically unfit. After recovering somewhat, he returned to work, holding a number of different jobs.
Family
In 1943, Norman Kirk married Lucy Ruth Miller, known as Ruth, who was born in Taumarunui. The couple had three sons and two daughters. In 1975 Ruth Kirk was named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).
In 1974, while her husband was Prime Minister, she created a storm by agreeing to become patron of the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child. She took part in anti-abortion protest marches in Wellington and Hamilton. She died on 20 March 2000, aged 77.[2]
Political career
Also in 1943, Kirk joined the Labour Party's branch in Kaiapoi, where he and his wife had decided to build a house. Kirk bought a 1,261 m2 (13,570 sq ft) section at 12 Carew Street for just NZ£40 (compared to today's land valuation of NZ$126,000).[3] Due to a shortage of funds and building materials following World War II, Kirk built the house himself entirely, right down to the casting of the bricks. The house still stands today, albeit with an extension at the back and a hipped corrugated iron roof to replace the original leak-susceptible flat malthoid roof.[4]
Mayor of Kaiapoi
In 1951, Kirk became Chairman of the party's Hurunui electorate committee. In 1953, Kirk led Labour to a surprising victory in elections for Kaiapoi's local council, and he became the youngest mayor in the country at age 30.[5]
As mayor, Kirk showed great creativity and implemented many changes. He surprised officials by studying issues intensely, often emerging with better knowledge of his options than the people functioning as his advisors. He resigned as mayor on 15 January 1958 and moved his family to Christchurch.[1]
Member of Parliament
Parliament of New Zealand Years Term Electorate Party 1957–1960 Labour 1960–1963 Labour 1963–1966 Labour 1966–1969 Labour 1969–1972 Labour 1972–1974 Labour In 1954, Kirk stood as the Labour candidate for the Hurunui seat. While he increased Labour's share of the vote considerably, he did not win. In 1957, however, Kirk won the electorate of Lyttelton, reclaiming it for Labour after its surprise loss to the National Party in a previous election. In 1969 he transferred to the Sydenham seat which he held until his death.
Throughout his political career, Kirk promoted the welfare state, supporting government spending for housing, health, employment, and education. As such, Kirk often appeared as a champion for ordinary New Zealanders. His working-class background also gave him some advantage, as ordinary voters saw many other politicians as out-of-touch and aloof.
Gradually, Kirk began to rise through Labour's internal hierarchy, becoming vice-president of the Party in 1963 and president in 1964. At the end of 1965 he successfully challenged Arnold Nordmeyer for the parliamentary leadership.
Kirk remained Leader of the Opposition until 1972, when Labour replaced the National government of Jack Marshall.
Prime Minister
Main article: Third Labour Government of New ZealandAs Prime Minister, Kirk set a frenetic pace, implementing a great number of new policies. In particular, the Kirk government intervened far more than its predecessor in foreign relations, with Kirk taking great trouble to expand New Zealand's links with Asia and Africa.
Norman Kirk speaks to crowd outside Labour Party headquarters, Levin, 1972
Two subjects in particular caused comment. One: Kirk's strong protest against French nuclear-weapons testing in the Pacific Ocean, which led to his Government along with Australia taking France to the International Court of Justice in 1972, and him sending two New Zealand navy frigates, HMNZS Canterbury and Otago, into the test zone area at Mururoa Atoll in a symbolic act of protest in 1973.[6][7] The other: his refusal to allow a visit by a South African rugby team, a decision he made because the apartheid régime in South Africa would not accept racial integration for that sport. He was also highly critical of US foreign policy, speaking before the United Nations of the US involvement in the coup d'état in Chile in 1973.
The Kirk government was also notable for a number of national identity building policies. The Kirk government began the tradition of New Zealand Day in 1973, and introduced legislation in 1974 to declare Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of New Zealand.
During his time as Prime Minister Kirk kept up an intense schedule and rarely took vacation time. His health began to decline once more. At the end of 1973, he developed heart problems, but recovered. Despite his illness, Kirk refused to reduce his workload by any significant degree. By August 1974 Kirk's situation had worsened and he was finally persuaded to enter hospital. Three days later he died of heart problems, aged 51. A state funeral, attended by thousands, took place on 6 September 1974, followed by interment in his hometown, Waimate.
He was succeeded in the Sydenham electorate by his son John Kirk.
External links
References
- ^ a b Bassett, Michael (updated 22 June 2007). "Kirk, Norman Eric 1923 - 1974". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb/alt_essayBody.asp?essayID=5K12. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ "Kiwis who left their mark on the nation". The New Zealand Herald. 30 December 2000. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=166858. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
- ^ "Rating enquiry - 12 Carew Street, Kaiapoi - Waimakariri District Council". http://www.waimakariri.govt.nz/services/rates_prop/rates_enquiry_results_detail.php?valuation=2176147900A. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
- ^ "Norman Kirk's House (Former)". Register of Historic Places. New Zealand Historic Places Trust. http://www.historic.org.nz/TheRegister/RegisterSearch/RegisterResults.aspx?RID=7445&m=advanced. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
- ^ Broun, Britton (11 October 2010). "Porirua's new mayor New Zealand's youngest". Dominion Post. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/local-elections-2010/4217386/Poriruas-new-mayor-New-Zealands-youngest. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ Mururoa Nuclear Tests, RNZN protest Veterans
- ^ Disarmament and Security Centre - Publications - Papers
Parliament of New Zealand Preceded by
Harry LakeMember of Parliament for Lyttelton
1957–1969Succeeded by
Thomas McGuiganPreceded by
Mabel HowardMember of Parliament for Sydenham
1969–1974Succeeded by
John KirkPremiers and Prime Ministers of New Zealand Sewell · Fox · Stafford · Domett · Whitaker · Weld · Waterhouse · Vogel · Pollen · Atkinson · Grey · Hall · Stout · Ballance · Seddon · Hall-Jones · Ward · Mackenzie · Massey · Bell · Coates · Forbes · Savage · Fraser · Holland · Holyoake · Nash · Marshall · Kirk · Rowling · Muldoon · Lange · Palmer · Moore · Bolger · Shipley · Clark · Key
Categories:- 1923 births
- 1974 deaths
- Cardiovascular disease deaths in New Zealand
- New Zealand Labour Party MPs
- New Zealand foreign ministers
- New Zealand Labour Party leaders
- People from the Canterbury Region
- People from Wellington City
- Prime Ministers of New Zealand
- Railroad engineers
- New Zealand humanitarians
- Leaders of the Opposition (New Zealand)
- Mayors of Kaiapoi
- New Zealand MPs for Christchurch electorates
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