Kirk extradition case tomorrow

Press, 7 August 1985, Page 2

Kirk extradition case tomorrow

By

HUGH NEVILL,

NZPA staff correspondent Dallas An Bcm high stack of depositions and supporting documents in the United States Assistant Attorney’s office in Dallas charge that John Kirk, the former member of Parliament, for Sydenham, left New Zealand owing at least $143,000 and possibly more than $260,000. Mr Kirk, aged 38, a son of a former Prime Minister, Norman Kirk, is due to come before a United States magistrate in Dallas tomorrow on extradition charges initiated by the New Zealand authorities. The hearing, originally listed for today, was delayed at the request of Mr Kirk’s Dallas lawyer, Mr Michael Gibson. Mr Kirk flew to the United States with his wife, Yvonne, on July 7 last year, a week before the General Election, after an earlier trip on May 31. The Kirks first settled in a . Los Angeles suburb, then after about six months moved to Dallas, a sombre city yesterday after last Friday’s Delta Airlines plane crash which left 133 dead. In Dallas, Mr Kirk supported himself by selling

memberships in singles’ clubs while his wife, known as “Eve,” found work as a temporary secretary. Mr Kirk has been in the downtown Dallas County Jail since his arrest by F. 8.1. agents on June 19. His wife is still in town. Two warrants issued in New Zealand allege that Mr Kirk left the country in July last year with thousands of dollars worth of cash, traveller’s cheques, and gold krugerrands in violation of bankruptcy laws. A third alleges that he took more than $5OOO out of New Zealand on the May 31 flight.