Gray turns to bid for seat

Press, 13 July 1989, Page 2

Gray turns to bid for seat

PA Palmerston North A former All Black, Ken Gray, said yesterday he was a likely contender for the Labour Party nomination in Palmerston North.

Mr Gray, aged 51, who is a partner in. a farm at Plimmerton, north of Wellington, said it was “pretty likely” he would seek the nomination. He said Palmerston North was an electorate he felt “comfortable” with because of its mixed ur-ban-rural nature, and because of family connections.

Both his parents and grandparents were. from the area, and Mr Gray spent a short time as a primary school pupil at Whakarongo. Mr Gray said he would make up his mind on the nomination after talking to people in the electorate. He felt a local candidate was best for the party, so he would be reluctant to enter the race unless Palmerston North people wanted him to. Mr Gray unsuccessfully sought the Labour nomination for Porirua before the last election.

Labour Party nominations for Palmerston North close on August 11. The sitting member of Parliament, Mr Trevor de Cleene, is retiring next year. He held Palmerston North for Labour by a majority of 3237 in the last election.