THE PRIME MINISTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20114, 27 November 1928, Page 6

THE PRIME MINISTER.

CHEERY IN ADVERSITY.

[INCIDENTS IN PAST CAREER

SOLDIER AND POLITICIAN.

r A VERY MODEST BIOGRAPHY,

An interesting character sketch of the Prime Minister, with special reference to the present political situation, is contributed to the Wellington Post by Mr. S. Saunders. FTe says:— "Whatever may have been the shortcomings of the members of tho Reform Government in the heyday of their prosperity—and' in tho eyes of a majority of tho electors they seem to have been many and great—Mr. Coates and his colleagues are displaying an exemplary measuro of cheery resignation in tho hour of their adversity. Tho Prime Minister himself is an inspiring leader in this respect. He thanks his friends for their sympathy,

•which is obviously thrown away, and reminds them of tho proverbial philosophy which prescribes that it is easier to bo a cheerful loser under the shadow of defeat tliau 'it is to bo a modest winner in tho stinshino of success. "And Mr. Coates looks what ho says. Ho has no reproaches for tho prohibitionists on one side, or for tho moderates 011 tho other, who deserted him on account of his advocacy of a middle course in the solution of the liquor problem; ho smiles at the accusations of too much spending and too little borrowing hurled at tho Government and ho laughs outright at the suggestion that ho lias ignored the needs of tho farmers in general and of the small producers in particular. His colleagues all aro in the samo cheery mood. . Example ol Diffidence. "Just now Mr. Coates, awaiting tho definite results of the recent general election, probably isi moro in tho eye of the public than ho has ever been before. He has not been a self-advertising politician, nor has he sought spectacular situations. Self-con-scious ho may bo; but not self-esteemed. 'An indication of tho man's diffidence, as ■well as some outline of his career, may bo obtained from the> pages of 'Who's jVVho in New Zealand,' a handy littlo .volume in which many a person of less consequence has inflicted upon its hospitable editor tho substance of a fulldress biography. This is what we read :

" 'Coates, Hon. Joseph Gordon, M.P., Post-master-General und Minister of Public Works. Educated privately; M.P. Kaipara, 1911; joined Massey Government September 3, 1919; served in Great War in France January, 1917, to February, 1919; Captain November 16; Major; M.C. and Bar.' "This brief epitome is characteristic of tho precision of the man. The story of his political life may bo compressed in the same fashion. He first entered tho House of Representatives, as indicated in his own suhimary of his career, as member for Kaipara, having defeated Mr. John Stallvvorthy, who had held the seat for two Parliaments and whoso son has just captured tho Eden seat for the United Party. . . . Entry into the Ministry.

" It \ya;> said of Mr. Coates nearly a decade ago, shortly after his return from the war, that whether a private or a colonel he would make a first rato soldier but a very poor general. Tho author of this pronouncement knew nothing about military qualifications, and probably was thinking of the soldier in the capacity of a civilian. If so, he had at that time some colourable excuse for his criticism. When Mr. Coates went to France, after sitting in Parliament Tor three or four years with the mimic quarrels' ol; the parties surrounding him, he had but a rudimentary idea of what the differences between them really were. Two years at the front purged him of all party prejudices, and when he returned to the Dominion to be thrust into the Ministry on the dissolution of the National Government ho practically isolated himself from his colleagues in the Cabinet and went about his own particular business in his own particular way. " Tho general election of 1919 gave Mr. Massey a majority out of all proportion to the votes he polled and the way of the Reform Government lay in pleasant places untal the appeal to the constituencies in 1922, -when Reform approached nearer to'disaster than it had done at any time since its assumption of office ten years before. This crisis, probably more than anything else could havo done, awakened Mr. Coates to tho gravity of his responsibilities and tho importance of his obligations to his colleagues. Diroct Lino of Succession.

" Thenceforth Mr. Coates applied himself with increased zeal and more intimate understanding to the administration of the two |jortfolios of Railways and Public Works, which meanwhile he had taken up in place of Justico and Post and Telegraphs, and became of more anr.| more assistance to his stricken chief. When Mr. Massey finally passed away his apt pupil was in direct line of succession lo the leadership of the party by reason of his close personal association with the dead statesman, his vitality and his personal popularity."