Backbencher

The book, Coates of Kaipara, written by Michael Bassett is the biography of New Zealand Prime Minister, Gordon Coates. This book talks about this man’s political career along with all the ups and downs, achievements and failures, and his popularity and contempt. Coates was born on the Hukatere Peninsula, Kaipara Harbour. His father suffered from bipolar disorder so he learned the roles of responsibility early on. Near their farm was a large Maori population, where Coates learned the language and culture. Educated by his mother and the local schooling, he found an interest in politics. Coates first became involved at the Otamatea County Council in 1905. He was the Council’s chairman for three years where he learned the system and earned a good reputation. Coates did not see himself relating to the Liberal Party because while growing up on a farm he knew what the hardships were like and the Liberals opposed freehold for farmers. In 1914, Gordon joined Reform where he made friends with politicians with different political beliefs. He worked mainly on improving life in the Far North of New Zealand. In 1925, the Prime Minister at the time, W.F. Massey passed away and Coates became Prime Minister after defeating William Nosworthy in a caucus ballot. The book talks about how he was very charismatic and seen as good at what he does, however he was not always good at maintaining relationships with the public. The cabinet had mostly conservative views but at times Coates seemed to make decisions sometimes opposed by those under him. During the Great Depression, New Zealand’s economy began to deteriorate and the Reform Party began to receive amounts of criticism. Overall this was a good book depicting the life of Gordon Coates. I see him as having the right ideas but not taking the right road to get there. He wanted to help the farmers and the Maori people but his tactics seemed a bit drastic. In the words of Michael Bassett, “Gordon Coates deserves to be seen as the politician who pushed the role of government beyond barriers that his fellow conservatives thought prudent, yet stopped short of what his Labour opponents saw as desirable.”