LIFE OF SERVICE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 May 1943, Page 3

LIFE OF SERVICE

MR COATES’S NOTEWORTHY PUBLIC CAREER LEADERSHIP IN DIFFICULT DAYS. MAN WHO SET COUNTRY ABOVE PARTY. Mr Coates was born at Matakohe in 1878, a son of the late Mr Edward Coates, one of the pioneers of the Kaipara district. He was the eldest of a family of seven. The Coates family took up land at Matakohe soon after its arrival from England. Mr Coates was educated at the public school of the district, and showed an early inclination toward outdoor life. While still young he gave evidence of being interested in public affairs. With his brothers he took a prominent part in the early organisation of the Auckland

Farmers’ Union, and he was for some years president of the Kaipara Agricultural and Pastoral Association. He became a member of the Otamaiea County Council and was its chairman for four years. He also took a keen interest in the military volunteers and was for seven years captain of the Oiamatea Mounted Rifles.

Mr Coates entered Parliament in 1911, defeating on the second ballot the sitting member for Kaipara, Mr John Stallworthy. He held the seat continuously till his death. GREAT WAR SERVICE. In the year in which the Great War broke out he married Miss Marjorie Cole, daughter of Dr Cole, of London, and after rendering valuable service in recruiting left with the Fifteenth Reinforcements for France. While on active service there he rose to the rank of major and gained the Military Cross and Bar. He was also wounded in the trenches. It was said of Mr Coates that during the darkest period of the nation's struggle he shared the privations of his men, endured suffering. cheered them in their worst hours by his hardy humour and his example of fortitude and unfailing courage. Never at any time did he ask a man to do what he would not undertake himself. In the front line he bore a charmed life, and the award of the Military Cross was for conspicuous bravery at Gravenstafel. The award of the bar to the cross was for his work in the desperate combat at Maillymaillet on March 26, 1918.

MINISTERIAL OFFICE. In 1919 Mr Coates joined the Massey Ministry, and in September of that year was appointed Minister of Justice, succeeding Sir Thomas (then Mr) Wilford, who was later High Commissioner for New Zealand in Great Britain. Mr Coates was also given the portfolios of Postmaster-General and Minister of Telegraphs. He relinquished the Justice portfolio on his appointment as Minister of Public Works in April, 1920. Early in the following year he took over the portfolio of Native Affairs, and in June, 1923, took up his fourth portfolio, that of Railways.

One of Mr Coates’s first public acts was the preparation of a Bill making provision for the creation of main highways, and of financing their construction and maintenance. Many reforms were accomplished in the administration of the Public Works Department, the chief being the break-ing-down of the tradition that the Public Works fund was a legitimate instrument for political patronage. He established a policy that its operations must be conducted on sound business principles. It was under his administration of the post office that the Government reverted to universal penny postage. In the administration of the railways, the portfolio of which he assumed in 1923, Mr Coates visualised the needs of the Dominion for several years ahead, and instituted many valuable reforms.

LEADER OF GOVERNMENT. On May 27, 1925. following the death of Mr Massey, Mr Coates was elected Leader of the Reform Parly, and became Prime Minister of New Zealand. At the 1925 general election Mr Coates and his party swept the country, the result being, in more respects than one, a tribute to the capabilities, the personality and leadership of the young and vigorous Prime Minister. In 192627 he represented New Zealand at the Imperial Conference, and was made a freeman of several cities. In 1926 he was created a Privy Councillor. After the defeat of the Government in 1928, Mr Coates made a speech in Parliament which won the admiration of the Dominion by the sportsmanship displayed and willingness to assist the United Government in all measures for the benefit of the country. He rendered valuable assistance to the Government in the formulation of policy points during the depression period. When the Coalition Cabinet was formed in September, 1931, Mr Coates undertook the portfolios of Public Works, Transport, Unemployment and Finance and Customs. IMPORTANT LEGISLATION. After a successful campaign the Coalition Government was returned to

power with a good majority, and Mr Coates set to work to lay down a plan for the purpose of meeting the difficult times. Despite the serious handicaps under which he laboured through lack of funds, Mr Coates succeeded in keeping down the unemployment figures beyond everyone's expectation. Mr Coates was personally responsible for the legislation dealing with the formation of the Reserve Bank and the Mortgage Corporation. He also handled with conspicuous success the highly intricate task, of mortgage adjustment. In 1932 he attended the Ottawa Conference, and at that time achieved one of the outstanding triumphs in his political career by negotiating agreements with the United Kingdom Government concerning the marketing in Great Britain of primary products from the Dominion.

WAR CO-OPERATION. When the Coalition was defeated in 1935 Mr Coates continued as a private member. On the outbreak of the war he offered his services to the then Prime Minister, Mr Savage, in any capacity in which he could best serve, and he was frequently consulted on military matters. When Mr Fraser became Prime Minister in March, 1940, Mr Coates renewed his offer, and when the War Cabinet was formed in July, 1940, he was appointed one of the Opposition representatives. On the formation of the War Administration nearly a year ago he was appointed Minister of Armed Forces and War Coordination, and he held this office up to the time of his death. On the breaking up of the War Administration he was invited by the Prime Minister to continue as a member of the War Cabinet, and in this capacity he has been on several important missions abroad.

Mr Coates is survived by his wife and five daughters, Mrs Arthur Pryde, of Matakohe, Mrs M. Glucina, of Whangarei, and Misses Patricia, Irirangi, and Josephine Coates.