Rex Stratton Kirton is a New Zealand local-body politician in the

Wellington Region Greater Wellington, also known as the Wellington Region (Māori: ''Te Upoko o te Ika''), is a non-unitary region of New Zealand that occupies the southernmost part of the North Island. The region covers an area of , and has a population of T ...

. He was mayor of Upper Hutt for 24 years until 2001, and then served three terms on the

Greater Wellington Regional Council Wellington Regional Council, branded as Greater Wellington Regional Council, is the regional council overseeing the Wellington Region of New Zealand's lower North Island. It is responsible for public transport under the brand Metlink, environm ...

Biography

Kirton attended St. Patrick's College, Silverstream 1955–1959. He lives in

Whitemans Valley Whitemans Valley is a rural suburb of Upper Hutt located in the lower North Island of New Zealand. Situated roughly 4 kilometers south of the Upper Hutt Upper Hutt ( mi, Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta) is a city in the Wellington Region of New Zeala ...

Local government

Kirton was first elected mayor of

Upper Hutt Upper Hutt ( mi, Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta) is a city in the Wellington Region of New Zealand and one of the four cities that constitute the Wellington metropolitan area. Geography The Upper Hutt city centre lies approximately 26 km north-e ...

in 1977. When he retired from this role in 2001, he was the longest-serving mayor in New Zealand at that time. In 2001, Kirton stood as the Upper Hutt representative on the Wellington Regional Council. He served three terms until 2010 when he was beaten by Paul Swain. Swain and Kirton received 5,117 and 3,794 votes, respectively, with two other candidates contesting the election. In 2007, he had been returned unopposed. He was chairman of the regional council's parks, forests and utilities committee. In 1990, Kirton received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. In the

1997 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1997 were appointments by most of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries, and honorary ones to citizens of other countri ...

, he was appointed a

Companion of the Queen's Service Order The Queen's Service Order, established by royal warrant of Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, is used to recognise "valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the pu ...

, for public services. Kirton Drive, the main street in the suburb of

Riverstone Terraces Riverstone Terraces (commonly referred to as simply 'Riverstone') is a suburb of Upper Hutt in the Hutt Valley, New Zealand, Hutt Valley of New Zealand's North Island, perched on a hill previously known as Craig's Flat, above the Hutt River, New ...

, is named after him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirton, Rex Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Mayors of places in the Wellington Region People from Upper Hutt Companions of the Queen's Service Order People educated at St. Patrick's College, Silverstream Wellington regional councillors