Gordon Coates
Encyclopedia
Joseph Gordon Coates, MC and bar
(1878–1943) served as the 21st Prime Minister
of New Zealand
from 1925 to 1928.
where his family ran a farm, Coates took on significant responsibility
at a relatively early age because his father suffered from bipolar disorder
. He received a basic education at a local school, and his well-educated mother also tutored him. He became an accomplished horseman, although an accident left him with a bad leg for the rest of his life. The large Māori population of the area meant that Coates grew up proficient in the Māori language
, gossip suggests that before his marriage, Coates had two children by a Māori woman. He allegedly became engaged to Eva Ingall, a teacher, but her father forbade marriage on the grounds that the illness of Coates' father might prove hereditary. Eventually, in 1914, he married Marjorie Grace Coles, by whom he had five daughters.
through the Otamatea County Council, to which he won election in 1905. Later, from 1913 to 1916, he served as the Council's chairman. He had previously distinguished himself as commander of the Otamatea Mounted Rifle Volunteers, and had a good local reputation
. In the 1911 elections
, Coates won the Kaipara
seat, having stood as an independent
candidate aligned with the Liberal Party
. In Parliament he generally voted with the Liberals, and formed part of the group that allowed Joseph Ward
to keep his position as Prime Minister
. When Ward resigned and Thomas Mackenzie
replaced him, Coates declined the offer of a ministerial position.
Gradually, however, Coates distanced himself from the Liberal Party — primarily because of his strong belief in freehold
for farmers, which the Liberals generally opposed. Coates had developed this belief due to his own experience with leasehold on his family's farm. When a vote of no confidence
took place in 1912, Coates voted against the Liberals, helping the opposition Reform Party
come to power. By 1914, Coates had formally joined Reform. He did not, however, act as a particularly partisan member, and made friends with politicians of many different political shades. His political activities focused primarily on improving services for the Far North
.
At the outbreak of World War I
, Coates attempted to enlist for active service, but the Prime Minister
, William Massey
, dissuaded him from doing so by — the Reform Party had only a tenuous majority. In November 1916, however, Coates finally gained permission to join up — he served with considerable distinction, winning a Military Cross
and bar
. When he returned to New Zealand, many saw him as a hero, and on 2 September 1919 Massey appointed him to Cabinet
as Minister of Justice
, Postmaster-General, and Minister of Telegraphs. He later became Minister of Public Works and Minister of Railways
. From March 1921, Coates served as Minister of Native Affairs
, where his knowledge of Māori
proved a useful asset. He became a friend of Apirana Ngata
, and worked with him to help address Māori concerns.
. When Massey died on 10 May 1925, Francis Bell became Prime Minister on an interim basis while the Party debated its leadership
. On 30 May 1925 Coates became Prime Minister
, having defeated William Nosworthy
in a caucus
ballot.
Coates premiership was marked by an intention to develop the rural economy of New Zealand, from which he stemmed. To this goal, he dedicated a number of projects, such as the construction of the Kopu Bridge
in the Coromandel Peninsula, which gave the local farmers better road access.
While Coates had charisma and a reputation as a good administrator, he lacked skills in marketing himself to the public and in reading public moods. He retained most of Massey's Cabinet, despite a strong wish from the public for fresh faces. His pragmatic, rather than partisan, approach to political problems alienated some of his supporters, who wished to see a strong conservative line. Increasingly, his lack of an overriding vision for New Zealand became seen as a flaw — as a minister, he had had the opportunity of focussing on particular project
s, but as Prime Minister, people expected him to take a "big picture" perspective, and he appears to have found this difficult. In the 1925 general election
Reform won a considerable victory, but this probably owed more to the organisation of Albert Davy
and to the chaotic state of the Liberal Party
.
As the Great Depression
loomed and New Zealand's economy began to deteriorate, Coates and the Reform Party
attracted considerable criticism. Some critics condemned certain measures taken to stave off depression as "socialist
", and Albert Davy departed the party to help establish a Liberal revival known as the United Party
. In the 1928 general election
Reform
and United Party
won an equal number of parliamentary seats. With the backing of the Labour Party
, United
formed a government, and Coates lost the premiership.
withdrew its support from United
, protesting about various economic measures which it regarded as hostile to workers. Coates and the Reform Party subsequently agreed to form a coalition with United, preventing a general election in which Labour
might have made significant gains. United's leader, George Forbes
, remained Prime Minister
, but Coates and his Reform Party colleagues gained a number of significant posts. William Downie Stewart, Jr., Coates' colleague, became Minister of Finance
.
In the 1931 general election
the United
-Reform
coalition remained in power, although Labour
increased its share of the vote. Economic problems persisted, however, and unemployment continued to rise. Coates quarrelled with William Downie Stewart, Jr. over the government's response, and Coates himself became Minister of Finance
. The Prime Minister, George Forbes
, became increasingly apathetic and disillusioned, and increasingly Coates ran the government. Talk persisted about the emotional state of Coates himself — rumours depicted him as drinking heavily.
In the 1935 general election
the coalition suffered a major defeat, winning only 19 seats: Coates nearly lost Kaipara. The Labour Party
, which had won 53 seats, formed its first government and Michael Joseph Savage
became Prime Minister
.
When United
and Reform
merged to establish the National Party
in May 1936, Coates sat as a National
MP. Some of his supporters urged him to seek the party's leadership, but others within the party believed that both Coates and Forbes
remained too closely associated with the country's economic problems, and that the new party needed fresh faces. Forbes supported Charles Wilkinson
for the leadership, but Coates and his supporters rejected this choice, going so far as to threaten a re-establishment of the Reform Party if it went through. Eventually, Adam Hamilton
, a former Reform member, won the leadership ballot by one vote.
With the outbreak of World War II
, the Labour
government invited both Coates and Adam Hamilton
to join a special War Cabinet
. Their acceptance created a rift between them and their National Party
colleagues — the Party replaced Hamilton as leader over the issue, and relations between Coates and the new leader, Sidney Holland
, deteriorated. Coates strongly believed partisanship misplaced during the war, and attempted to convince both Labour
and National
to work together. He expressed pleasure when the two parties established a joint War Administration, with the War Cabinet serving as its executive body. The War Administration quickly collapsed, with National
choosing to withdraw — Coates openly criticised National's decision, and remained in the War Cabinet. At this point, Coates decided that he would contest the next election as an independent
National candidate, not as the National Party's officially-nominated candidate.
Coates' health, however, had begun to fail. He had smoked heavily for most of his life, and had also developed heart trouble
. On 27 May 1943 he collapsed and died in his office in Wellington
. The Labour Party
eulogised him more strongly than did his National Party
colleagues, although politician
s from all sides of the House paid tribute to him.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(1878–1943) served as the 21st Prime Minister
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
from 1925 to 1928.
Early life
Born on the Hukatere Peninsula in Kaipara HarbourKaipara Harbour
Kaipara Harbour is a large enclosed harbour estuary complex on the north western side of the North Island of New Zealand. The northern part of the harbour is administered by the Kaipara District and the southern part is administered by the Rodney District...
where his family ran a farm, Coates took on significant responsibility
Moral responsibility
Moral responsibility usually refers to the idea that a person has moral obligations in certain situations. Disobeying moral obligations, then, becomes grounds for justified punishment. Deciding what justifies punishment, if anything, is a principle concern of ethics.People who have moral...
at a relatively early age because his father suffered from bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
. He received a basic education at a local school, and his well-educated mother also tutored him. He became an accomplished horseman, although an accident left him with a bad leg for the rest of his life. The large Māori population of the area meant that Coates grew up proficient in the Māori language
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
, gossip suggests that before his marriage, Coates had two children by a Māori woman. He allegedly became engaged to Eva Ingall, a teacher, but her father forbade marriage on the grounds that the illness of Coates' father might prove hereditary. Eventually, in 1914, he married Marjorie Grace Coles, by whom he had five daughters.
Early political career
Coates first became involved in politicsPolitics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
through the Otamatea County Council, to which he won election in 1905. Later, from 1913 to 1916, he served as the Council's chairman. He had previously distinguished himself as commander of the Otamatea Mounted Rifle Volunteers, and had a good local reputation
Reputation
Reputation of a social entity is an opinion about that entity, typically a result of social evaluation on a set of criteria...
. In the 1911 elections
New Zealand general election, 1911
The New Zealand general election of 1911 was held on Thursday, 7 and 14 December in the general electorates, and on Tuesday, 19 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 18th session of the New Zealand Parliament...
, Coates won the Kaipara
Kaipara (New Zealand electorate)
-Population Centres:The electorate is rural and north of Auckland city, in the North Auckland region.-History:The electorate was created in 1902, and abolished in 1946. From 1911 the seat was represented by Gordon Coates , until he died in 1943...
seat, having stood as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidate aligned with the Liberal Party
New Zealand Liberal Party
The New Zealand Liberal Party is generally regarded as having been the first real political party in New Zealand. It governed from 1891 until 1912. Out of office, the Liberals gradually found themselves pressed between the conservative Reform Party and the growing Labour Party...
. In Parliament he generally voted with the Liberals, and formed part of the group that allowed Joseph Ward
Joseph Ward
Sir Joseph George Ward, 1st Baronet, GCMG was the 17th Prime Minister of New Zealand on two occasions in the early 20th century.-Early life:...
to keep his position as Prime Minister
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
. When Ward resigned and Thomas Mackenzie
Thomas Mackenzie
Sir Thomas Noble Mackenzie GCMG was a Scottish-born New Zealand politician and explorer who briefly served as the 18th Prime Minister of New Zealand in 1912, and later served as New Zealand High Commissioner in London....
replaced him, Coates declined the offer of a ministerial position.
Gradually, however, Coates distanced himself from the Liberal Party — primarily because of his strong belief in freehold
Fee simple
In English law, a fee simple is an estate in land, a form of freehold ownership. It is the most common way that real estate is owned in common law countries, and is ordinarily the most complete ownership interest that can be had in real property short of allodial title, which is often reserved...
for farmers, which the Liberals generally opposed. Coates had developed this belief due to his own experience with leasehold on his family's farm. When a vote of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
took place in 1912, Coates voted against the Liberals, helping the opposition Reform Party
New Zealand Reform Party
The Reform Party, formally the New Zealand Political Reform League, was New Zealand's second major political party, having been founded as a conservative response to the original Liberal Party...
come to power. By 1914, Coates had formally joined Reform. He did not, however, act as a particularly partisan member, and made friends with politicians of many different political shades. His political activities focused primarily on improving services for the Far North
Far North District
The Far North District of New Zealand, as its name suggests, is the northernmost district within New Zealand, consisting of the northern tip of the North Island. The current mayor is Wayne Brown.-Geography:...
.
At the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Coates attempted to enlist for active service, but the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
, William Massey
William Massey
William Ferguson Massey, often known as Bill Massey or "Farmer Bill" served as the 19th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1912 to 1925, and was the founder of the Reform Party. He is widely considered to have been one of the more skilled politicians of his time, and was known for the particular...
, dissuaded him from doing so by — the Reform Party had only a tenuous majority. In November 1916, however, Coates finally gained permission to join up — he served with considerable distinction, winning a Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
and bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
. When he returned to New Zealand, many saw him as a hero, and on 2 September 1919 Massey appointed him to Cabinet
New Zealand Cabinet
The Cabinet of New Zealand functions as the policy and decision-making body of the executive branch within the New Zealand government system...
as Minister of Justice
Minister of Justice (New Zealand)
The Minister of Justice is a minister in the government of New Zealand. The minister has responsibility for the formulation of justice policy and for the administration of law courts....
, Postmaster-General, and Minister of Telegraphs. He later became Minister of Public Works and Minister of Railways
Minister of Railways (New Zealand)
The Minister of Railways was the minister in the government responsible for the New Zealand Railways Department 1895–1981, the New Zealand Railways Corporation 1981–1993, and New Zealand Rail Limited 1990–1993...
. From March 1921, Coates served as Minister of Native Affairs
Minister of Maori Affairs
The Minister of Māori Affairs is the minister of the New Zealand government with broad responsibility for government policy towards Māori, the first inhabitants of New Zealand. The current Minister of Māori Affairs is Dr. Pita Sharples.-Role:...
, where his knowledge of Māori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
proved a useful asset. He became a friend of Apirana Ngata
Apirana Ngata
Sir Apirana Turupa Ngata was a prominent New Zealand politician and lawyer. He has often been described as the foremost Māori politician to have ever served in Parliament, and is also known for his work in promoting and protecting Māori culture and language.-Early life:One of 15 children, Ngata...
, and worked with him to help address Māori concerns.
Premiership
Coates' prominence gradually increased to the point where people saw him as a natural successor to MasseyWilliam Massey
William Ferguson Massey, often known as Bill Massey or "Farmer Bill" served as the 19th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1912 to 1925, and was the founder of the Reform Party. He is widely considered to have been one of the more skilled politicians of his time, and was known for the particular...
. When Massey died on 10 May 1925, Francis Bell became Prime Minister on an interim basis while the Party debated its leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
. On 30 May 1925 Coates became Prime Minister
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
, having defeated William Nosworthy
William Nosworthy
William Nosworthy was a New Zealand politician. He briefly served as Minister of Finance and then Minister of External Affairs in the Reform Government....
in a caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
ballot.
Coates premiership was marked by an intention to develop the rural economy of New Zealand, from which he stemmed. To this goal, he dedicated a number of projects, such as the construction of the Kopu Bridge
Kopu Bridge
The Kopu Bridge is a single-lane swing bridge that spans the Waihou River, near its emergence into the Firth of Thames in the Thames-Coromandel District of New Zealand's North Island. The bridge was completed in 1928 and is part of State Highway 25...
in the Coromandel Peninsula, which gave the local farmers better road access.
While Coates had charisma and a reputation as a good administrator, he lacked skills in marketing himself to the public and in reading public moods. He retained most of Massey's Cabinet, despite a strong wish from the public for fresh faces. His pragmatic, rather than partisan, approach to political problems alienated some of his supporters, who wished to see a strong conservative line. Increasingly, his lack of an overriding vision for New Zealand became seen as a flaw — as a minister, he had had the opportunity of focussing on particular project
Project
A project in business and science is typically defined as a collaborative enterprise, frequently involving research or design, that is carefully planned to achieve a particular aim. Projects can be further defined as temporary rather than permanent social systems that are constituted by teams...
s, but as Prime Minister, people expected him to take a "big picture" perspective, and he appears to have found this difficult. In the 1925 general election
New Zealand general election, 1925
The New Zealand general election of 1925 was held 4 November to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 22nd session of the New Zealand Parliament...
Reform won a considerable victory, but this probably owed more to the organisation of Albert Davy
Albert Davy
Albert Ernest Davy was a New Zealand political organiser and campaign manager; and at the height of his career, was regarded by some as the best in the country...
and to the chaotic state of the Liberal Party
New Zealand Liberal Party
The New Zealand Liberal Party is generally regarded as having been the first real political party in New Zealand. It governed from 1891 until 1912. Out of office, the Liberals gradually found themselves pressed between the conservative Reform Party and the growing Labour Party...
.
As the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
loomed and New Zealand's economy began to deteriorate, Coates and the Reform Party
New Zealand Reform Party
The Reform Party, formally the New Zealand Political Reform League, was New Zealand's second major political party, having been founded as a conservative response to the original Liberal Party...
attracted considerable criticism. Some critics condemned certain measures taken to stave off depression as "socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
", and Albert Davy departed the party to help establish a Liberal revival known as the United Party
United Party (New Zealand)
The United Party of New Zealand, a party formed out of the remnants of the Liberal Party, formed a government between 1928 and 1935, and in 1936 merged with the Reform Party to establish the National Party...
. In the 1928 general election
New Zealand general election, 1928
The New Zealand general election of 1928 was held on Tuesday, 13 November in the Māori electorates, and on Wednesday, 14 November in the general electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 23rd session of the New Zealand Parliament...
Reform
New Zealand Reform Party
The Reform Party, formally the New Zealand Political Reform League, was New Zealand's second major political party, having been founded as a conservative response to the original Liberal Party...
and United Party
United Party (New Zealand)
The United Party of New Zealand, a party formed out of the remnants of the Liberal Party, formed a government between 1928 and 1935, and in 1936 merged with the Reform Party to establish the National Party...
won an equal number of parliamentary seats. With the backing of the Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
, United
United Party (New Zealand)
The United Party of New Zealand, a party formed out of the remnants of the Liberal Party, formed a government between 1928 and 1935, and in 1936 merged with the Reform Party to establish the National Party...
formed a government, and Coates lost the premiership.
Coalition
In 1931, the Labour PartyNew Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
withdrew its support from United
United Party (New Zealand)
The United Party of New Zealand, a party formed out of the remnants of the Liberal Party, formed a government between 1928 and 1935, and in 1936 merged with the Reform Party to establish the National Party...
, protesting about various economic measures which it regarded as hostile to workers. Coates and the Reform Party subsequently agreed to form a coalition with United, preventing a general election in which Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
might have made significant gains. United's leader, George Forbes
George William Forbes
George William Forbes served as the 22nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1930 to 1935. Few expected him to become Prime Minister when he did, and some believed him unsuitable, but he nevertheless remained in that office for five years...
, remained Prime Minister
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
, but Coates and his Reform Party colleagues gained a number of significant posts. William Downie Stewart, Jr., Coates' colleague, became Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (New Zealand)
The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
.
In the 1931 general election
New Zealand general election, 1931
The 1931 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 24th term. It resulted in the newly formed coalition between the United Party and the Reform Party remaining in office as the Liberal-Reform Government, although the opposition Labour...
the United
United Party (New Zealand)
The United Party of New Zealand, a party formed out of the remnants of the Liberal Party, formed a government between 1928 and 1935, and in 1936 merged with the Reform Party to establish the National Party...
-Reform
New Zealand Reform Party
The Reform Party, formally the New Zealand Political Reform League, was New Zealand's second major political party, having been founded as a conservative response to the original Liberal Party...
coalition remained in power, although Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
increased its share of the vote. Economic problems persisted, however, and unemployment continued to rise. Coates quarrelled with William Downie Stewart, Jr. over the government's response, and Coates himself became Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (New Zealand)
The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
. The Prime Minister, George Forbes
George William Forbes
George William Forbes served as the 22nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1930 to 1935. Few expected him to become Prime Minister when he did, and some believed him unsuitable, but he nevertheless remained in that office for five years...
, became increasingly apathetic and disillusioned, and increasingly Coates ran the government. Talk persisted about the emotional state of Coates himself — rumours depicted him as drinking heavily.
In the 1935 general election
New Zealand general election, 1935
The 1935 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 25th term. It resulted in the Labour Party's first electoral victory, with Michael Joseph Savage becoming the first Labour Prime Minister...
the coalition suffered a major defeat, winning only 19 seats: Coates nearly lost Kaipara. The Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
, which had won 53 seats, formed its first government and Michael Joseph Savage
Michael Joseph Savage
Michael Joseph Savage was the first Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand.- Early life :Born in Tatong, Victoria, Australia, Savage first became involved in politics while working in that state. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1907. There he worked in a variety of jobs, as a miner, flax-cutter and...
became Prime Minister
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
.
Later political career
After the defeat of the coalition government, Coates withdrew from public attention to a large extent. He experienced a period of financial difficulty resulting from the sudden loss of income, but his situation improved when a group of friends presented him with a large sum of money as thanks for his long service.When United
United Party (New Zealand)
The United Party of New Zealand, a party formed out of the remnants of the Liberal Party, formed a government between 1928 and 1935, and in 1936 merged with the Reform Party to establish the National Party...
and Reform
New Zealand Reform Party
The Reform Party, formally the New Zealand Political Reform League, was New Zealand's second major political party, having been founded as a conservative response to the original Liberal Party...
merged to establish the National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
in May 1936, Coates sat as a National
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
MP. Some of his supporters urged him to seek the party's leadership, but others within the party believed that both Coates and Forbes
George William Forbes
George William Forbes served as the 22nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1930 to 1935. Few expected him to become Prime Minister when he did, and some believed him unsuitable, but he nevertheless remained in that office for five years...
remained too closely associated with the country's economic problems, and that the new party needed fresh faces. Forbes supported Charles Wilkinson
Charles Wilkinson
Charles Anderson Wilkinson CBE was a New Zealand Reform Party, then Independent Member of Parliament for Egmont, in the North Island.-Member of Parliament:...
for the leadership, but Coates and his supporters rejected this choice, going so far as to threaten a re-establishment of the Reform Party if it went through. Eventually, Adam Hamilton
Adam Hamilton
Adam Hamilton was a New Zealand politician. He was the first leader of the National Party during its early years in Opposition.-Early life:...
, a former Reform member, won the leadership ballot by one vote.
With the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
government invited both Coates and Adam Hamilton
Adam Hamilton
Adam Hamilton was a New Zealand politician. He was the first leader of the National Party during its early years in Opposition.-Early life:...
to join a special War Cabinet
War Cabinet
A War Cabinet is a committee formed by a government in a time of war. It is usually a subset of the full executive cabinet of ministers. It is also quite common for a War Cabinet to have senior military officers and opposition politicians as members....
. Their acceptance created a rift between them and their National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
colleagues — the Party replaced Hamilton as leader over the issue, and relations between Coates and the new leader, Sidney Holland
Sidney Holland
Sir Sidney George Holland, GCMG, CH was the 25th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 13 December 1949 to 20 September 1957.-Early life:...
, deteriorated. Coates strongly believed partisanship misplaced during the war, and attempted to convince both Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
and National
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
to work together. He expressed pleasure when the two parties established a joint War Administration, with the War Cabinet serving as its executive body. The War Administration quickly collapsed, with National
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
choosing to withdraw — Coates openly criticised National's decision, and remained in the War Cabinet. At this point, Coates decided that he would contest the next election as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
National candidate, not as the National Party's officially-nominated candidate.
Coates' health, however, had begun to fail. He had smoked heavily for most of his life, and had also developed heart trouble
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
. On 27 May 1943 he collapsed and died in his office in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
. The Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
eulogised him more strongly than did his National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
colleagues, although politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s from all sides of the House paid tribute to him.