Remembering Norm Kirk: 50 years since the death of the New Zealand PM

The Gisborne Herald of Monday, September 2, 1974, announcing the August 31 death of Prime Minister Norman Kirk.

Today is the 50th anniversary of the death of Prime Minister Norm Kirk. The Herald’s Wynsley Wrigley spoke to former long-serving chief reporter John Jones about his memories of the man known as Big Norm.

Prime Minister Norm Kirk lived in Auckland around 1943-1944 where he developed a lasting friendship with fitter and turner Jack Jones, the future Gisborne Times reporter and Gisborne Herald chief reporter.

That meant Kirk - PM from 1972-1974 - made several visits to the Jones’ household in Gisborne when he was active in parliamentary politics.

The two of them “hit it off”, said John Jones, son of Jack.

“The two of them were great readers, Norm Kirk read a book a week. When Kirk came to Gisborne, he visited dad. Kirk was in the house at least several times. He’d come in and have a cup of tea and talk to the old man.”

Jones said long-serving Labour loyalists such as Bob MacDonald also visited Kirk in the Jones’ household.

“He was the Labour candidate in Gisborne twice (1963 and 1966) “but lost to Esme. (Tombleson, National’s MP for Gisborne from 1960 to 1972).

Kirk has been described as the last working-class leader of the Labour Party.

Jones said that was probably right but added that people should not misjudge him.

“Kirk made a hell of an effort to educate himself. His background failed to do him any justice.

“He was a voracious reader, like the old man, and made a real effort to get himself up to speed with everything. He was a very clear speaker and a very clear thinker.”

Jones said most New Zealanders would have been shocked by Kirk’s sudden death although many knew he was unwell.

Kirk had been scheduled to open Gisborne’s new Olympic Pool Complex.

His place was taken by swimmer Jaynie Parkhouse, who won the 800 metres gold medal at the Christchurch Commonwealth Games earlier in 1974.

Kirk was the last New Zealand Prime Minister to die in office and the first since Michael Savage in 1940 following John Ballance (1893), Richard John Seddon (1906) and William Massey (1925).

His policies such as recognising China, stopping the 1973 Springbok tour, making February 6 a public holiday, protesting against French nuclear testing in the Pacific, including sending frigates to Mururoa, and expanding diplomatic links with Asia and Africa have made him a Labour Party icon.

Kirk’s death was the only news on the front page of the broadsheet Gisborne Herald on Monday, September 2, 1974 with the capped headline NATION MOURNS.

The editorial, also published on the front page, said Kirk’s death at the age of 51 was a tragedy.

“Leaders of his acute perception, tremendous energy and political integrity are hard to find and almost impossible to replace. But one thing is certain, Mr Kirk will not be forgotten.

‘He will survive in the history of New Zealand as a remarkable man who made a notable contribution to social welfare and New Zealand’s part in foreign policy”.