UNITED AND REFORM

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 81, 2 October 1931, Page 9

UNITED AND REFORM

NOW SEATED TOGETHER

LEADERSHIP OF HOUSE

There was nothing in the appearance and demeanour of the House of Representatives this morning, when it resumed after a ten-day adjournment to enable the Coalition Government to dratt its programme, to suggest to the casual observer that a momentous cnange had occurred in the Administration.

Members took their seats under the new party arrangement for the first time, the Reform and United members being seated together on the right of Mr. Speaker and ou tho cross-benelies, and the Labour Party—now the Official Opposition—on the beaches formerly occupied by the Reform Party on Mr. Speaker's immediate left. The two leaders of tho Government, the Bight Hon. G. W. Forbes (Prime. Minister) and the Right Hon. J. G. Coates, are not actually benchmates, but they are seated together with only the gangway between their seats separating them. They affably exchanged remarks during the preliminary proceedings, and there was nothing to indicate that they had not been party colleagues for years in the same positions in the House. Tne other members of the Cabinet are distributed around them. The Independent members retain the places they formerly occupied at the rear of ( the right cross"-benches, and the ex-Minister of Education, Mr. 11. Atmore, has a front seat in the same block. The other exMinisters of the United Cabinet are located behind the new Ministry.

The House settled down to business immediately in the same old businesslike way. ..■.'■' . . "

LEADER OF THE HOUSE,

Apparently a misunderstanding exists concerning the leadership of the House, which devolves on the Prime Minister. The Leader of the Opposition, in the course of a- speech on, the Imprest Supply Bill to-day several times addressed Mri Coates as leader of the House, and when Mr. A; J. Murdoch, Chief Government "Whip, askeS who was the Leader of the House, Mr. Holland replied: "The Leader of the Reform Party." Mr. Murdoch retorted that Mr. Forbes was the Leader of tho House, and Mr. Holland said: "The ex-Minis-ter has been misinformed. The Leader of the Reform Party is now Leader of the House. What.has happened is that we aie merely following the British, position." ' : .'.'•' It has been officially stated that Mr. Forbes is to lead the House, but .as there will probably be large demands on him during sittings of the House to attend to important business in his office Mr. Coates will naturally act as Leader of the House in his absence.