Stan Whitehead

Sir Stanley Austin Whitehead (8 October 1907 – 9 January 1976) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.

He was brought up in the mining town of Waiuta, and left school at the age of 14 to enter work as a saw miller.

After he became Labour leader in 1965, Norman Kirk designated Whitehead as Shadow Minister of Internal Affairs, Local Government and Civil Defence.

[6] In 1972, Whitehead was asked by Prime Minister Norman Kirk to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives during the Third Labour Government.

[7] Whitehead hosted Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at the 1974 Commonwealth Games and had the duty of presiding after the death of Kirk later that year.

[3] In the 1976 New Year Honours, Whitehead was appointed a Knight Bachelor,[8] in recognition of his long public service to central and local government.

[3] Less than a week after being awarded his knighthood, at the age of 68 years, he died of a heart attack while welcoming a British ship, HMS Berwick.

He was attending the official welcome luncheon at Port Nelson and having a drink with Captain Chatterton Dickson when he said he was "going to have a turn" then he collapsed on the deck.

One of the ship's lieutenants and first aid men gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and a heart massage while the Mayor Roy McLennan rang an ambulance.