YATES, ELIZABETH, née Oman (1840-1918) was born at Caithness, Scotland, and came to New Zealand with her parents as a child. About 1875 she married Michael Yates (d. 25 Sep 1902). Born in Lanark, Scotland, he became a master mariner, was shipwrecked in South Australia in 1852, and came to New Zealand the following year. He traded for many years in the Islands in command of the Industry and Jessie Niccol, in which he had a share, and afterwards in his own brig Coronet. In 1874 he retired from the sea. He was elected to the Onehunga borough council in 1883, and mayor in 1888, and resigned on account of ill-health in 1892.

Mrs Yates contested the mayoralty in Nov 1893 against F. W. Court, whom she defeated by 120 votes to 107. She held office until 1894. During her term there was vigorous expenditure on roads and footpaths. She was the first woman in the British empire to be mayor of a municipality. She was also a justice of the peace, and received a letter from Queen Victoria congratulating her on this honour. In a mayoral contest Dr Erson defeated her by two to one. Mrs Yates had previously been a member of the Onehunga union parliament (1893) and had assisted her husband towards the end of his mayoralty. In Nov 1894 she was defeated by M. D. Sutherland by 147 votes to 56. She died on 6 Sep 1918.

Cycl. N.Z., ii; Rev. of Rev., 1894, p. 13, 117; N.Z. Herald, 21 Dec 1893, 20 Apr, 29 Nov, 20 Dec 1894, 26 Sep 1902, 9 Sep 1918; Auckland Star, 7 Sep 1918.

Reference: Volume 2, page 271

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