FRAMING A POLICY

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20351, 25 September 1931, Page 10

FRAMING A POLICY

NEW CABINET HARD AT WORK. PROBLEMS FOR CONSIDERATION. [From Our Parliamentary IIiiroRTER.J WELLINGTON, September 24. The manner in which the Coalition Ministry has settled to its task of planning a programme for the economic reconstruction of New Zealand is most businesslike. Cabinet sat for several hours to-day and again this evening and discussed the main outline of its policy, which will be contained in the Supplementary Budget to be read in the House of. on October 6th, while Ministers themselves spent the remainder of the day in making themselves familiar with questions of major importance in their Departments. It is evident that alterations will be made in the Budget which Mr Forbes introduced about two months ago, and which has been held up pending the readjustment of Party relationships in the House. Those who hold the most important portfolios in the new Cabinet are understood to be dissatisfied with the financial proposals as outlined in Mr Forbes's Budget, particularly as the state of the public accounts has not improved since the session began. The problem to be faced is fully appreciated by members of the new Cabinet, all of whom have already embarked upon the first stages of the legislation they will have to handle when the House resumes, and it is believed that the finished product of this'Bession will be very different from that planned by the United Government when the Speech from the Throne was delivered.

Unemployment. Although general measures are recognised as necessary to check the financial drift and allow the State revenue account to recover from tho set-back suffered since the beginning of the financial year, the question which is arousing most interest is that of unemployment, to which Mr Coates has applied himself with energy and determination. His policy is not yet ready for submission to Cabinet, but Mr Coates has, already taken steps to coordinate the work of handling the problem. Arrangements have been made for members of the Board to work close to the Ministerial room instead of in the Departmental quarters hitherto allotted, and Mr Coates himself will organise a great deal of administrative work for the Board to deal with. Members of the Board had arranged a visit to Southland this week-end for the purpose of inspocting certain lands and roads which were suggested as suitable for unemployed camps, but Mr Coates has cancelled this trip, and will hold -members in Wellington to discuss preliminary details connected with a scheme for relieving as soon as possible distress among the unemployed throughout the Dominion. Land Development. Land development and the provision of adequate access to prospective settlements will form one phase of the new unemployment policy. Mr Coates said this evening that the Lands, Public Works, Agriculture, Labour, and Native Departments would be involved in what ho considered to be a comprehensive scheme for handling this difficult job. It is understood that reports submitted during tho past two years to the United Government by advisory committees in various districts on the possibilities of land development will be carefully overhauled with a view to establishing as accurately as practicable how much Crown and other land is suitablo for treatment by unemployed as a means to settlement, and also to tho permanent rolief of the unemployment problem. Among the areas to come under consideration will be a large block of 141,492 acres of undeveloped country near Tokaanu, on the shores of Lake Taupo, a great deal of which has been purchased by the Crown, and upon which a report is. understood to havo been presented to the Government during the past few weeks by a speciallyappointed Advisory Committee in conjunction with Departmental officers. A Heavy Task. The unusually heavy nature of tho duties undertaken by Mr Coates has aroused comment and a certain amount of admiration oven among his political opponents. In view of Mr Coates's consistent criticism of Mr Forbes's method of handling unemployment, members of the Reform Party interpret tho action of their chief as indicating that ho would not ask another man to do a job which he himself was not prepared to tackle. He and Mr Ransom will probably work harmoniously toward tho common purpose, while other Ministers are also co-oporating toward tho relief of tho situation. Mr Coates hopes-that his scheme will be announced in the Supplementary Budget, but if this is found impossible, he will make a statement in the House briefly stating his plans. In this work Mr Coates will be assisted by Dr. It. M.' Campbell, who has just returned from overseas after an extensive study of economics, and who has been retained as secretary to handle this side of Mr Coates's duties.