Party leaders who died in office

Green Party co-leader Rod Donald is the ninth party leader to die while in office.

Mr Donald, 48, was co-leader of the Green Party with Jeanette Fitzsimons.

The other MPs who died while leading their parties were:

* Prime Minister Norman Kirk, Labour (August 31, 1974).

* Former PM Peter Fraser, Labour leader (December 12, 1950).

* Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage, Labour (March 27, 1940).

* Harry Holland, Labour Party leader (October 8, 1933).

* Prime Minister William Ferguson Massey, Reform leader (May 10, 1925).

* William Donald Stuart MacDonald, Liberal leader (August 31, 1920).

* Premier Richard John Seddon, who took over from John Ballance (June 10, 1906).

* Premier John Ballance, of the Liberals (April 27, 1893).

Source: The New Zealand Electoral Compendium - an Electoral Commission publication

- NZPA