MR. COATES' SECRETARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19417, 27 August 1926, Page 12

MR. COATES' SECRETARY.

GIFT TO MR. THOMSON. LONG GOVERNMENT SERVICE. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Thursday. A gift of a gold watch and chain was made to Mr. F. D. Thomson, permanent head of the Prime Minister's Department, this evening, at a gathering of members of Parliament, departmental heads and leading citizens of the Wellington Province. The gift had been subscribed for by a number of friends in the Manawatu and neighbouring districts, in view of Mr. Thomson's impending departure, with the Prime Mnister, for the Imperial Conference. The health of Mr. Coates was proposed by Mr. Hope Gibbons, Mayor of Wanganui, and that of Mr. Thomson by Mr. Arthur Bennett, of Palmerston North, who made the presentation. In proposing the toast of Mr. Thomson, Mr. A. Bennett said he wished the guest of the evening a pleasant trip. Mr. Thomson had a wonderful record in the service of the State, and New Zealanders felt proud to think that ho had broken all records as a Ministerial secretary. He had made six voyages to America, Africa, England and France,' and consequently there' were few men who had had equal opjportunity of gaining insight into world affairs. : Mr., Thomson appointed a private secretary to the late Right Hon. R. J. Seddon in 1901, and. he accompanied Mr. ,Seddon'to South Africa and England in 1902, the coronation of King Edward and the Colonial Conference being held in that 'year. He was private secretary to the -late Horn Mr. Millar from 1906 to 1912, . private secretary to the Hon. Sir Arthur Myers in the Mackenzie Government in 1912 and to the late Right Hon. W. F. "Massey from 1912 to 1925. He was appointed secretary to Cabinet and clerk of the' Executive Council in 1919. He accompanied Mr. Massey to the Imperial War Conferences of 1917-18. Ht> was a member of the Imperial secretariat at the Peace Conference in Paris in 1919 and was at the Imperial Conference again in 1921 and 1923. e He was., appointed first permanent head 'Of the Prime Minister's new department this year, ,In 1920 he received the decoration of C.M.G. for services rendered at the Peace Conference. It would thus be seen that he had enjoyed the confidence, of.ma,ny. distinguished leaders and hiad a record that any man might- be proud of. Mr. Thomson, in reply, said only a few men who ha,d been members of Parliament. in his early official days were still in the Legislature." He had many pleasant memories of the period since 1901, when he first became a private secretary, "and it was especially .gratifying .to him to . receive so nandsome. a mark of friendship.