THIRD MINISTER CHOSEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17255, 3 September 1919, Page 8

THIRD MINISTER CHOSEN.

ME. COATES ACCEPTS OFFICE

ANOTHER RETURNED SOLDIER

MR. LEE DECLINES PORTFOLIO

MINISTRY NOW COMPLETE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN' CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday An announcement was made late this evening that Mr. J. G. Coates, M.P. for Kaipara, had accepted the Prime Minister's invitation to join the Ministry. An invitation to join the Ministry was given to Mr. E. P. Lee, M.P. for Oamaru. He declined office, for reasons with which politics had nothing to do. He is a professional man, to whom politics, even as a member of the House, compelled to spend only a part of his time in Wellington, involve no inconsiderable sacrifice. Ministerial office would take him away his business altogether for an indefinite period. It has been stated on many occasions that Mr. Lee does not intend to seek re-election. He has now decided to accept nomination again. It is not the present intention of the Prime Minister to make any more appointments to the Cabinet, as ho considers that three additional Ministers will suffice.

The Hon. J. G. Coates was elected to the House of Representatives as member for Kaipara in 1911. He entered Parliament as an Independent, and supported the Ward Government in the famous division of February, 1912, when the Government escaped defeat on the casting vote of the Speaker. After a brief experience of the Mackenzie Ministry Mr. Coatee decided that he did not wish to remain associated with the party supporting that Government, and when in July, 1912, Mr. Massey's no-confidence motion went to a division Mr. Coates went into the lobby with the members of the Reform Party. Ever since then he has been considered a member of that party. One of the youngest and most popular members Mr. Coates has always been a sturdy advocate for his district, and especially for the less fortunate of the settlers riving in places where communications are bad and the lot of the small farmer a hard one. Early in the war he volunteered for active service. He had been a mounted officer of Territorials, and he went into camp as an officer of mounted rifles. At the time there was an over-supply of mounted reinforcements, and Mr. Coates was one of the officers who surrendered his position in the mounted unit to go with the infantry. As a result, he served as an infantry officer with the New Zealand Division in most of the hard fighting in Prance. He received first the Military Cross, and then a bar to the crass for distinguished conduct in battle. The yGovernment now contains two returned soldiers.