Hugely charismatic and caring, Mr Kirk became Labour Party leader in 1965 and then prime minister after the November 1972 election. Immortalised in the song Big Norm by Ebony, he became the fifth New Zealand prime minister to die while in office, of congestive cardiac failure and thromboembolic pulmonary heart disease.
A friend remembers the night Mr Kirk died ``like it was yesterday'': ``They interrupted the TV programming and played this mournful music and there was a black-and-white photo of him on the screen with a black sash across it.''
I also recall it in England. We were only a couple of months off leaving Blighty for New Zealand and mum and dad took me and brother Keith to Chessington Zoo, in London, for the day. It was summer and either a Saturday or Sunday.
As a 9-year-old I was really into flags and I asked dad why the New Zealand one was at half-mast over the main gates of the zoo.
``Their prime minister died.'' he said.
If you have vivid memories of Mr Kirk's death and how it was announced to the nation, I would love to hear from you.
Led astray
Up the garden path and straight into the waiting clutches of former ODT chief of staff Clarke Isaacs.
Clarke quite rightly tells me I have failed you by spelling incorrectly not just one but three ``long-departed Dunedin institutions''' in Friday's column.
Clarke says (I will use his exact words for fear I might get them wrong again): ``Patterson and Barr's should be Paterson and Barr. Ross and Glendinning should be Ross and Glendining. Thompson's soft drinks should be Thomson's soft drinks.
``Just because it is contributors who provide wrong spellings is no excuse for letting them through unchecked.''
He is right. The guilty party out there knows who he is ... and I will never trust any of you ever again!
A few final gripes about dirty dog droppings then it's time to move on, thank goodness.
I had a couple of emails telling me to lay off giving dogs a bad time. As I replied to those readers, I have got nothing against the dogs. I really like dogs. It's irresponsible, lazy and entitled owners who irritate me.
So to balance the ledger a bit, how about sending me some lovely fluffy dog stories, photos, tales of why you love your dog and the things they do to help, hinder, make you laugh.
I am standing by, braced for your cute doggie pictures.
Anyway, here's the last remainder of the complaints.
Donna Jones, of Dunedin, says ``don't get me started'' (too late).
``I couldn't agree with you more. I absolutely concur with every word you said about the disgraceful mess left around our city. How can people be so disrespectful and filthy?
``It pains me greatly when I am enjoying a run along one of our beautiful beaches to see the mess on the sand. I see more people carrying `doggy-do' bags nowadays which is encouraging. But, why do I see full bags left on the beach, as in the photo attached at Blackhead Beach, left on a log! Why bother?
``I was on Tomahawk a few weeks ago and there were five full `doggy-do' bags scattered around the entrance.
``I really like animals, we have an office dog who is adored and she has never made a mess.''
That's good to hear, Donna.
Keryn agrees.
``We live 40km south of Dunedin and we are on the beach most days. Dunedinites come with dogs to crap on our beach.
``When your 3-year-old comes running up to you with a large stick in his hand and it turns out it's a gigantic dog poo, it does make your tummy turn and make you feel some anger towards dog owners being responsible for their situation.''
``I go down the lane to the playground and there's more dog poo. A sign at the entrance and at the car park says pick your poo up, otherwise it's a $300 fine.
``It is so annoying. I had a new pair of boots on yesterday. When I got home, I took them off and there was all dog poo in them. There was a huge dog poo by the kids' swings. Some of these dog poos are very large.''
They sure must breed them big in Fairfield.
Ivan James, of Mosgiel, called to say: ``If you think Dunedin is bad, you want to come out to Mosgiel. The footpaths are covered with dog faeces all the way.''
Another caller who lives near Highgate: ``They pick it up in a plastic bag and then toss it over our fence and into our back yard''.
Anyway, here's a nice email from Dianne Davey about a Dunedin woman who is well and truly earning her DNZM, or would be in a just society.
``A couple of weeks ago I came across a lady on Kettle Park. She had her own dog with her and two plastic bread bags each half full of dog poo she was picking up as a favour to other park users.
``She told me she does it three times a week. This lady deserves a medal.
``Do dog owners who use a city's sports grounds as a good space to exercise their dogs ever think of the sports club officials that have to examine and clean the grounds before a game can be played on it?
``Would they like to play a game of rugby or football where the players comes in contact with the ground and face plant into a pile of dog poo? These owners are irresponsible, lazy and downright disgusting.''