A STATESMAN PASSES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 77, 1 June 1943, Page 4

A STATESMAN PASSES

IN the death last Thursday of the Hon. Joseph Gordon: Coates M.P. for Kaipara, Member of the Waf Cabinet, and a former Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Dominion has lost one of its foremost statesmen. Born at Matakohe in 1878, he was the son of the late Mr Edward Coates, farmer, and was educated privately. He was for some time president of the Kaipara A. and P. Association and was for many years a member and for four years chairman of the Otamatea County Council; he was a member since 1900 of the Otamatea Mounted Rifles, being- seven years in command. The late Mr Coates represented the Kaipara electorate continuously from 19lf to the time of his death. £fe joined the Massey Government on September 3, 1919, later becoming Postmaster-General and Minister of Public Works under the Rt. Hon. William Ferguson Massey. Mr Coates succeeded his former chief, in 'Premiership, in May,» 1925. He was made a Privy Councillor on January 1, 1926. His party was defeated in 1928. On the formation of the Coalition Government in September, 1931, he became Minister of Public Works till 1933. He was also Minister of Transport and Minister for Employment. The Ministry resigned in December, 1935. Under the Labour Government, Mr Coates became a member of the War Cabinet, retaining the position up till the time of his death, despite a disagreement with the National Party. Mr Coates served in the Great War in France from January 1917 to February, _1919. He left New Zealand with the 15th _Reinforcements serving in the infantry. He was promoted to a captain in November 1916, later rising to the rank of major. He won the M.C. and bar.