Sir Stanley Whitehead was ‘man of the people’

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34047, 10 January 1976, Page 2

Sir Stanley Whitehead was ‘man of the people’

*N z Press Association) NELSON, Jan. 9. Sir Stanley Whitehead. Speaker of the Htiu.se of Representatives and Member of Parliament for Nelson, collapsed and died at Nelson today. He was fiS. He was attending a luncheon aboard H.M.S. Berwick. a visiting Royal Navy frigate, at Port Nelson when he collapsed. He was taken ' to the Nelson Hospital by ambulance but was pronounced dead on arrival. Sir Stanley, who was created a Knight Bachelor nine days ago, suffered a icoronary attack during rhe I last Parliamentary session. After a period at the Neilson Hospital, he contested his seat successfully at the Genera) Election on November 29. The next day, he suffered a further attack, and was in Nelson Hospital about 10 days. He had planned to retire at the end of this Parliamentarv session, in 1978. ON BRIDGE Sir Stanley was on the bridge of H.M.S. Berwick as a guest of Captain Chatterton Dickson, having drinks, when he said he felt he was “going to have a turn.” He collapsed on the deck. A ship’s lieutenant and first-aid men gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and heart massage while the Mayor of Nelson (Mr R. A. McLennan) telephoned for an ambulance. Sir Stanley was then taken from the ship on a stretcher. Sir Stanley Whitehead had been a staunch member of the Labour Party for many years when he first stood for Parliament in the snap General Election of 1951. He contested the seat again in 1954. and was finallv successful in 1957 He has held the seat since, a total of 18 years—and after Labour's victory in 1972 was appointed Speaker of the House.

r He was “a man who sawi 1 things straight and played | t: things straight.” said the ! Leader of the Opposition (Mr: ; Rowling). He said he was: -‘sure Lady Whitehead and her family would “find consola-! tion in the knowledge that , Stan Whitehead was a man I of the people, who never let ’ the people down.” Mr Rowling said he was! , deeply distressed at the loss: ’ of both a good friend and* colleague. I The Prime Minister (Mr! Muldoon) described Sir Stan-; I lev as a “hard-hitting, effec-j • tive. commen-sense debater.”* In a tribute. Mr Muldoon i said Sir Stanley had been of! ■ ’great value to a party that I i had long been in wilderness.” 1 But it would be idle, “even I at a time like this.” to try] to gloss over the fact that' he and Sir Stanley had not! 'seen eye to eye in theHouse. Mr Muldoon said. Mr Muldoon said his first; . sympathy lay with Lady* • Whitehead because it was! only a politician’s wife and! . family who knew the tre-i mendous demands made on! > the head of a household whoy followed a political career. I It was probably the l

strains of his career that had! cut short Sir Stanley’s life,: as they had the lives of! many other political figures, said Mr Muldoon. Rut he said he “unreservedly” recognised Sir Stanley as a man who firmly stood by what he thought to. be right. “That of itself is* no mean memorial,” Mr Mul-t doon said. Sir Stanley’s whole life was an example of the equality of opportunity for which New Zealand was known. Born on fhe West Coast, he had begun as a sawmill worker, gone on to railwav construction. then had run his own . sawmill, become a transport worker, a trade-union secretary, and then Deputy Mayor of Nelson before entering Parliament “This was a record of a > hard-working man and by no means untypical of the(Opportunities open in an i egalitarian society,” said Mr i Muldoon. “It is in the light of this,: I tragic that he lived so briefly !to enjoy the honour recently bestowed upon him by the -Queen.” he said. PUBLIC LIFE Sir Stanley Whitehead .was a Nelson city councillor: for four terms, including aj • term as Deputy Mayor from 1962 to 1965. He was a member of the Nelson Trades Council for 20! !years, and a member of the* ! Nelson College board of governors for 26 years. He was proud of his association with the developiment of Port Nelson. He was appointed to fill a vacancy| -on the Nelson Harbour Board) in 1957. and had been a mei i- ’ ber since. He had been the ‘board’s deputy chairman (since October. 1971. Sir Stanley always had an active interest in sport, play--ing Rugby and competing in many axemen’s events in his (youth. In latter years, his favourite form of relaxation •was outdoor bowls. Sir Stanley Whitehead is survived by Lady Whitehead, •two sons, and five daughters.!