Dealing with power bill problems ranked as high as high-level political manoeuvring for Mike Moore.

The former Prime Minister died yesterday, aged 71.

Moore left school at 14, became Prime Minister at 41, and director-general of the World Trade Organisation aged 50.

Former MP and longtime friend Clayton Cosgrove told Mike Hosking Moore found helping people out as important as any national or international work.

"You know, a hip replacement or getting Mrs Jones a state house or solving a problem. People used to come around and inqurie and the bloke would pay the odd power bill."

He says Moore's values guided his work as head of the World Trade Organisation.

Cosgrove remembers Moore as a man who always gave 100 per cent and was always wanting to help others.

"He had the ability to go into the smoko-room or working men's club and have a coffee or beer cause he was one of those guys, and equally walk across the room to the boardroom and interact and have knowledge and articulate."

• Friends and colleagues remember former PM Mike Moore
• Former NZ PM Mike Moore dies aged 71