Bill Rowling

The Right Honourable Sir Bill Rowling KCMG
Rowling in 1974
30th Prime Minister of New Zealand
In office 6 September 1974 – 12 December 1975
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor‑General	Denis Blundell
Deputy	Bob Tizard
Preceded by	Norman Kirk
Succeeded by	Robert Muldoon
22nd Leader of the Opposition
In office 12 December 1975 – 3 February 1983
Deputy	Bob Tizard David Lange
Preceded by	Robert Muldoon
Succeeded by	David Lange
8th Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party
In office 6 September 1974 – 3 February 1983
Deputy	Bob Tizard David Lange
Preceded by	Norman Kirk
Succeeded by	David Lange
17th Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 6 September 1974 – 12 December 1975
Prime Minister	Himself
Preceded by	Norman Kirk
Succeeded by	Brian Talboys
33rd Minister of Finance
In office 8 December 1972 – 6 September 1974
Prime Minister	Norman Kirk
Preceded by	Robert Muldoon
Succeeded by	Bob Tizard
11th Minister of Statistics
In office 8 December 1972 – 6 September 1974
Prime Minister	Norman Kirk
Preceded by	Robert Muldoon
Succeeded by	Mick Connelly
22nd President of the Labour Party
In office 5 May 1970 – 8 May 1973
Preceded by	Norman Douglas
Succeeded by	Charles Bennett
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Tasman Buller (1962–1972)
In office 7 July 1962 – 14 July 1984
Preceded by	Jerry Skinner
Succeeded by	Ken Shirley
Personal details
Born	(1927-11-15)15 November 1927 Motueka, Tasman District, New Zealand
Died	31 October 1995(1995-10-31) (aged 67) Nelson, New Zealand
Political party	Labour
Spouse	Glen Elna Reeves (m. 1951)
Children	5
Alma mater	University of Canterbury
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	New Zealand Army
Years of service	1956–61
Rank	Captain
Battles/wars	Malayan Emergency

Sir Wallace Edward Rowling KCMG PC (/ˈroʊlɪŋ/; 15 November 1927 – 31 October 1995), commonly known as Bill Rowling, was a New Zealand politician who was the 30th prime minister of New Zealand from 1974 to 1975. He held office as the leader of the Labour Party.

Before entering politics, Rowling worked as a teacher and briefly served in the army; he became a member of Parliament (MP) in the 1962 Buller by-election. Not long after entering parliament Rowling began to rise through Labour's internal hierarchy, and he was Party President from 1970 to 1973. He was serving as Minister of Finance (1972–1974) when he was appointed Prime Minister following the death of the highly popular Norman Kirk. His Labour Government's effort to retrieve the economy ended with an upset victory by the National Party in November 1975. Rowling continued to lead the Labour Party but lost two more general elections. Upon retiring from the party's leadership in 1983, he was knighted. He served as Ambassador to the United States from 1985 to 1988.