John Kirk bitter about ‘disowning’ of father

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33933, 28 August 1975, Page 14

John Kirk bitter about ‘disowning’ of father

John Kirk, the member of Parliament for Sydenham and son of the late Prime Minister. Norman Kirk, tonight strongly attacked some of his Parliamentary colleagues.

Mr Kirk said it was a ••sobering thought that there would not have been a Labour Government without my father." Many Labour members who had now virtually dis-, owned the late Prime Minister would not have entered Parliament without the late Mr Kirk * support, he said. A headstone on his father s grave at Waimate will be unveiled on Sunday, the anniversary' ot his death, and Mr Kirk said that the number of Labour M.P.s who attended the ceremonv would show -what his Parliamentary colleagues really thought of him." Invitations had been sent to al! M.P.s and although some had not yet replied, only 10 out of the 55 Labour M P.s had definitely accepted, including the Prime Minister (Mr Rowling*, who would deliver the eulogy on behalf ot the Government. “I generally expected a lot more from our side." Mr Kirk said, "although some who have declined have long-standing commitments."

Bitterness. .Mr Kirk admitted he felt disappointment and some bitterness over the response to the invitations. ‘When you look back on; it there are those who have; tried to wipe their boots on I my father’s memory who! would not have had the guts to stand up to him when he was alive " It was “undeniable’’ that some people inside and out- ■ side the Labour Party, including some sections- of the news media, had “set out to! belittle’’ the Prime Minister’s' achievement. The Government nad not detended, as it should have, the actions of Dame Ruth Kirk in the controversy late la-t year over the auction of gifts given to Mr Kirk as Prime Minister, he said.

’Smeared* Mr Kirk said he was also unhappy about the way his father had been “smeared" in the economic “think-tank" controversy. "The only person who has taken the cane over it apart from Gerald O’Brien (Lab.. Island Bay) is my father.” Mr Kirk said that for the first time he was speaking not as a Labour M.P.. “but as my father’s son Blood is thicker than water.” Mr Kirk said that those who so far had said they would attend Sunday’s ceremonv were the Minister of T-ansport (Sir Basil Arthur),

the Minister of Police (Mr Connelly I, the Minister of Maori Affairs (Mr Rata), the Minister of Defence (Mr Fraser). Mrs M. Batchelor (Lab., Avon), Messrs I. J. Brooks (Marlborough), R. P. B. Drayton (St Albans), W. R. Laney (Oamaru), and Mr O'Brien. An Opposition backbencher, Mr R. L. G. Talbot (South Canterbury), would

r represent the National Party.| if “It’s a sobering thought e that there would not have rbeen a Labour Government' r if it was not for my father ,j I. “Probably those not coming: ’.’include people who owe their: very entry into Parliament to| rlhirn. “It’s their decision. I’m not: disgruntled, just dis-! it, appointed,” he said. d “All in. all we are just ob-

serving his last request and that basically will be the gauge to me and my family as to what his Parliamentary colleagues really thought of him,” Mr Kirk said. “I think you can say quite safely that if there had been sufficient impact made by my father, it would take more than a year to die out. “It seems to me that for various reasons there seems to be a sort of ‘untouchables’ thing going on. "People won’t go to places with certain other people and that sort of thing . . .” Mr Kirk said he was quite sure the public response to the unveiling would be very strong, showing his father’s critics that they were out of touch with public opinion. “The truth of whether or not my father has been forgotten will be borne out or denied by those who turn out on Sunday.” Cost slight The indications were that a lot of “ordinary people,” especially from the South Island, would be attnding, but Mr Kirk said he ‘‘definitely would have liked to see more Government M.P.s there” than had so far indicated they would be present. All M.P.s had free air travel and the cost involved (would have only been I slight.

“It’s got to make you pause for thought,” he .said. “I won’t hide that I am disappointed.” Mr Kirk said it would be the first time he had visited the grave since the funeral. His mother had visited it twice. Representatives of the Maori people and other groups were expected to attend, he said.