Labour Party Post For Mr Kirk

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30125, 8 May 1963, Page 16

Labour Party Post For Mr Kirk

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 7 Mr N. E. Kirk, member of Parliament for Lyttelton, today succeeded Mr J A Bateman, of Wellington, as vice-president of the Labour Party. the arty’s elections today, Mr Kirk beat Mr Bateman for the vicepresidency by a small margin on the ninth count of votes Eight other candidates stood for the office, including the Mayor of Wellington, Mr F. J Kitts, and four members of Parliament. Messrs N. V. Douglas, H. L. J. May, S. A. Whitehead and Sir Basil Arth- r. Mr Kirk was recently reported to have been narrowly beaten in the Parliamentary Labour Party’s election of its deputy leader by Mr H. Watt. He has been a member of Parliament, for the Lyttelton electorate. since 1957 and before that was active in local body affairs. For three years he was Mayor of Kaiapoi. Mr Kirk is 40. The president of the Labour Party. Dr. A. M. Fin-

lay. was re-elected after a ballot against Mr Bateman and Mr H J. Allen. Results of division area ballots for membership on the national executive announced at the conference to-'.ay are: No. 1 area, Mr A. L Learning, Kaukapakapa; No. 2, Mr A. E. P Boorman, Onehunga; No. 3. Mr E. A. Waters. Hamilton (unopposed): No. 4. Mr N. J Callaghan. Mangakino; 4o 5, Mr J. H. Hill, Napier: No. 6. Mr J. McLafferty. New Plymouth; No 7. Mr E. J Hemmingsen. Palmerston North; No. 8, Mr P Dowse. Lower Hutt: No. 9. Mr S. Gladstone. Greymouth; No. 10. Mr N. E Kirk. MP.. Christchurch; No 11. Mr G. S Ray. Timaru: No 12. Mr J. Dalziel. Dunedin.