Kirk Trust under way

Press, 14 August 1976, Page 10

Kirk Trust under way

Parliamentary' reporter The first awards under the Norman Kirk Memorial Trust are expected to be announced later this year. From then on, awards will be made annually. The annual report of the Department of Internal Affairs, just tabled in Parliament, records that advertisments calling for applications for awards for 1977 are now appearing throughout the Pacific. The department took over the administration of the fund in December. The Norman Kirk Memorial Appeal came into being after the death of the late Prime Minister in August, 1974, when the public began sponta-

neously sending donations towards a memorial. A board of trustees was formed to establish a suitable memorial and take charge of fund-raising. It consisted of Mr H. Watt (chairman), Sir Malcolm Burns, Sir Charles Bennett, Dame Ruth Kirk. Sir John Marshall, Messrs J. Mowbray, J. G. O’Brien, and F. D. O’Flynn, Sir Thomas Skinner, Sir William Stevenson, and Sir Bryan Todd. When Mr Watt was appointed to London. Mr A. J. Faulkner became chairman.

The board determined that the trust objectives must reflect the humanitarian ideals of the late Prime Minister and be wide ranging, so that future trustees will not be

restricted in granting awards to the -ost deserving peopr.. The main objective of the trust is to promote the welfare and progress of the people of New Zealand and the South Pacific, especially those who have the capacity to benefit from further training or experience, but lack the opportunity. The trust will also support proposals or projects particularly beneficial to the South Pacific. The appeal target of 5250.000 is expected to be reached. The Government contributed $125,000. and grants were received from the governments of Australia, Fiji, the Cook Islands, Nauru, Niue, and Western Samoa.