Pat Booth

Patrick John Booth (9 September 1929 – 31 January 2018) was a New Zealand print journalist and writer. He is noted for his coverage of the Arthur Allan Thomas case, and the Mr Asia crime syndicates.

Biography Booth was born on 9 September 1929 in Levin and raised in Hāwera. His first journalism job was on the Hawera Star in 1947. In 1950, he became a general reporter for The Auckland Star, in the first of what became several periods working at the paper, covering everything from sports to politics and crime.

In May 1971, Bishop Delargey of Auckland appointed Booth the editor (in succession to the conservative Denzil Meuli) of the Catholic newspaper Zealandia – the first layman to be appointed its editor. In that capacity he condemned the rock musical Hair, which featured a brief full nudity scene. The New Zealand production was prosecuted and Booth appeared as a police witness.

Booth returned to work for The Auckland Star, and covered the Mr Asia drug syndicate and the Arthur Allan Thomas cases. Booth began a seven-year campaign to free Thomas.

In the late 1970s, Booth uncovered the brutal Mr Asia drugs syndicate and one of its key players, Terry Clark. Despite considerable threats,

Booth died at a rest home in Kumeū, after a short illness, on 31 January 2018, at the age of 88.