Robert Coulter (New Zealand politician) explained

Robert Coulter
Constituency Mp:Raglan
Parliament:New Zealand
Term Start:25 September 1943
Term End:31 December 1945
Predecessor:Lee Martin
Successor:Hallyburton Johnstone
Constituency Mp1:Waikato
Parliament1:New Zealand
Term Start1:27 November 1935
Term End1:15 October 1938
Predecessor1:Frederick Lye
Successor1:Stan Goosman
Birth Date:1891
Birth Place:Christchurch, New Zealand
Death Date:31 December 1945
Death Place:Timaru, New Zealand
Party:Labour
Otherparty:Liberal

Robert Coulter (1891 – 31 December 1945) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.

Biography

Early life and career

Robert Coulter was reported to have been born in 1891 in Christchurch[1] and went to Woodend Public School.[2] However, a Robert Coulter gained a prize in Standard 2 at Woodend District School in 1894.[3] Children at that time had to attend school from age 7 to 13.[4] Possibly he showed early talent and/or was born before 1891. He had a brother, J. J. Coulter[5] and a sister, who lived in either Wellington,[6] or Timaru.[7] He never married.

After primary education he worked in farming, lived about two years in Wellington and moved to Auckland.

In 1904 Robert Coulter settled in Te Aroha, to be a grocer and auctioneer, and was a member of Te Aroha Borough Council from May 1916.[8] In 1915 he defended not being a volunteer for service in World War I,[9] but in 1917 he was conscripted into the forces, though he was given exemptions twice.[10] [11] He went to camp in May 1917 with the 29th Reinforcement.[12] They reached France[13] in October 1917,[14] but it seems Coulter was back by March 1918.[15]

Political career

In October 1918, he was re-elected to the council,[16] becoming Mayor in April 1921.[17] He was also president of Te Aroha Chamber of Commerce[18] and Te Aroha Aero Club and associated for a number of years with the Northern Athletic Union, Thames Harbour Board and Te Aroha Fire Board.

He stood for in the . He announced his candidacy in June 1925 as a Liberal–Labour candidate.[19] By the election campaign in October he had been adopted as the official candidate of the Liberal Party and had also been endorsed by the Country Party.[20] He was defeated by the incumbent MP Charles Macmillan of the Reform Party.[21] During the election he was widely quoted for comments he made at an election meeting in Te Aroha where he called Reform's leader Gordon Coates as a "good sort" and a "straight goer". Reform friendly newspapers were eager to report such praise from a political opponent.

He won the electorate in as the Labour Party candidate, but, with rearrangement of boundaries, was defeated in Hauraki in 1938 by Lieutenant- Colonel J. M. Allen. during which time represented the Waikato electorate from 1935 to 1938, when he was defeated by National's Stan Goosman. In 1941 he was defeated as Te Aroha's mayor by Laurie Mackie.[22] He then moved his residence to Hamilton, as he was selected to stand in,[23] in succession to Lee Martin, who was retiring due to ill health.[24] The 1941 election was cancelled,[25] so it was not until 1943 that he was elected for Raglan. Coulter was something of a political anomaly, being elected twice in rural electorates that usually returned Reform or National MPs.

Death and commemoration

By mid-1945 Coulter was in indifferent health for many months and had an undisclosed operation in Wellington. Afterwards, he went to stay with relatives in Timaru for recuperation. While staying there his condition worsened to the point he had to enter Timaru hospital. He died there on 31 December 1945. His funeral was in Wellington. He was succeeded by Hallyburton Johnstone of National at a 1946 by-election.

Coulter Bridge, which carries SH26 over the Waihou River, in Te Aroha, was built in 1928 and named after him.[26]

References

Notes and References

  1. News: Who's Who – The New Members . . 27 September 1943 . LXXIV . 229 . 3 .
  2. News: Mr. Coulter's Death . . 31 December 1945 . 106 . 22804 . 4 .
  3. News: Prize Distribution – Woodend District School . . 5 February 1894 . LXXXI . 10264 . 3 .
  4. Web site: Education Act passed into law. 10 May 2021. nzhistory.govt.nz.
  5. News: Local and General . Te Aroha News . 28 September 1917 . XXXV . 5545 . 2 .
  6. News: Death of M.P. – Mr. Robert Coulter . . 31 December 1945 . LXXVI . 309 . 6 .
  7. News: Death of M.P. – Mr. Robert Coulter . . 2 January 1946 . LXXIII . 21909 . 6 .
  8. News: Local and General . . 12 May 1916 . XXVII . 3618 . 2 .
  9. News: Recruiting . Te Aroha News . 2 June 1915 . XXXIII . 15629 . 3 .
  10. News: Military Service Appeal Board – No. 2 Hauraki Group . Te Aroha News . 23 February 1917 . XXXIV . 5454 . 2 .
  11. News: Local and General . Te Aroha News . 4 May 1917 . XXXIV . 5483 . 2 .
  12. News: Local and General . Te Aroha News . 9 May 1917 . XXXIV . 5485 . 2 .
  13. News: For King and Country – Death . . 29 January 1918 . 16644 . 4 .
  14. News: Untitled . . 4 October 1917 . IV . 1138 . 6 .
  15. News: Chamber of Commerce – Monthly Meeting . Te Aroha News . 27 March 1918 . XXXV . 5621 . 2 .
  16. News: Borough By-election . Te Aroha News . 18 October 1918 . XXXV . 5706 . 2 .
  17. News: The Mayoralty . Te Aroha News . 29 April 1921 . XXXVII . 6070 . 2 .
  18. News: Mr R. Coulter Elected President of Chamber of Commerce . Te Aroha News . 2 February 1921 . XXXVII . 6035 . 2 .
  19. News: The Tauranga Seat – Te Aroha's Decision . Matamata Record . 15 June 1925 . VIII . 639 . 4 .
  20. News: Mr. Coulter's Speech . . 14 October 1925 . LVI . 243 . 9 .
  21. Book: The General Election, 1925 . 1926 . Government Printer . 2 . 20 November 2014.
  22. News: Te Aroha Mayoralty . . 19 May 1941 . XXXX . 9669 . 3 .
  23. News: Raglan Seat – Labour Candidate . . 24 July 1941 . 129 . 21481 . 4 .
  24. News: Raglan Seat – Two National Nominees . . 24 June 1942 . 131 . 21763 . 2 .
  25. News: Postponement of Election . . 16 October 1941 . 129 . 21553 . 4 .
  26. Web site: 27 October 2020 . Te Aroha bridge beautification quest pushes on despite lack of cash . 8 May 2021 . . en .