IT’S FIRST YEAR

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1932, Page 8

IT’S FIRST YEAR

; FORBES-UOATES MINISTRY. ANNIVERSARY YESTERDAY. WELLINGTON, September 23, Thursday’ marked the first anniversary ot jiie a * the most notable events in New Zealand s politico./. history—the formation of the Forbe’-Coates Ministry, and the coalescenc e of the Reform, and Um.t-d Fatties. In Parliamentary circles it is regarded as a 'happy augury that the completion of the first twelve months in office of the combined forces should coinicidg, with the 3o gening of a sessipP. wn.Ji ... elf ush rs i,n a return to a more .normal working of the legislative, machine. vv ith‘ the National revenue crumbling and facing the, prpp e ct of unpleasantly persistent increases . in the estimated uenc e.. vy the united administration in March, 1931, forfeited the. support of the Labour Party which had kept it on the Treasury benches,, in office yet not in power,, for two years, and passed legislation with Reform’s assistant© in an effort ,to restore Budget equilibrium. With a still gloomier financial out’.pok at the opening of the main 1931 session, •on, June, ,Jbhe political situation was stfil obscure.

t, 'tjie close of th e emergency session oni April ,28, 19'31,, Mr Forbes htk. made his National Government offer to the official Reform Opposition, but. Mi' Coates., did not ~ accept the invitation, and, the position was not improved .at the opening of the June session, .'when the attitude. 'Reform .would adopt wai still highly /problematical. Labour ha already made it. clear that it yoaV vote. ,thp Government out at any to and-. on any pretext., A PARTY TRUCE.

Following some pretty party skirm ishing for tactical advantage betweej The. Labour and. Reform , Parties M' Coates partially relieved the .tension b' ,his “P.elpj . rather .than , hinder” offer but the lobbies were soon to reyerbe rate with rumblings, of dissatisfaction and dkcord,, and the financial debat' was,at. an end. before the move wainitiated, which ’ed to fhe . ultimate coalition. 'Mr Coates’ suggestion for the appointment of the now famou' Tnte'-party Committee 'was adopted bv Mr F.or’-es, and a party truce was de> i. ki, , r \ Tb' dedberatiore did not fol low the course anticipated,' and a stat of crisis was fearV'k 1 , f -/, ,

On Septethh-jr 16 a o’-’ies of partno.n.cn=©s and- consultations -wore, heir, tfi© remit being ,-the announcement 0. ■September 18 that n coalescence of th Reform and UnAd force.?, had bee igr©ed to. The usual formalizes co" • >;t ( >d, with th© formation of a nev Cabinet f o’lowed, and the Forber F’o-’te-: Ministry was chosen on the.basi of eeual repre'entation and duly sworn in. It met th e House .on th . evening of September 22. , , • The December Sections gave th' new administration a further t°rm c. office, wibich last session wa*' -extend©' for a, further year by .legislative enact 'meet. The "work carried out by the Coalition Ministry in the last twelv months requires no restatement.