Gordon Coates seemed unbeatable. Tall and handsome, this affable war hero embodied modernity – he was the ‘jazz premier’. In 1925’s presidential-style election voters elected to take their ‘Coats off with Coates’.
Gordon Coates
Personal details
Full Name:
Joseph Gordon Coates
Lifetime:
3 Feb 1878 – 27 May 1943
Prime Minister:
30 May 1925–10 Dec 1928
Age on becoming Prime Minister:
47
Electorate:
Kaipara
Political Party:
Reform
Biography
Articles
The 1920s
The 1920s was the decade that modern New Zealand came of age. Despite political and economic uncertainty, the country shrugged off the gloom of war to embrace the Jazz Age - an era of speed, power and glamour. Explore an overview of the decade and a year-by-year breakdown of key events. Read the full article
Page 1 - The 1920s
The 1920s was the decade that modern New Zealand came of age. Despite political and economic uncertainty, the country shrugged off the gloom of war to embrace the Jazz Age - an
Page 8 - 1925 - key events
A selection of key New Zealand events from
Main image: Gordon Coates Reform Party poster
This Reform Party poster from 1925 illustrates the influence of commercial advertising techniques.
