GOVERNMENT POLICY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 28, 25 September 1931, Page 3

GOVERNMENT POLICY

Press Association-

early statement COALITION CABINET STARTS WORK WITH COMPLETE HARMONY NEW TOURIST MINISTER

-Copyright.

By Telephone — Post Speciai Service. WELLINGTON, Thursday. The first meeting of the Coalition Cabinet took place yesterday afternoon and lasted for about two and a-half hours. Ministers are getting right down to business immediately, according to a remark dropped by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes at the close of the meeting, and Cabinet meetings will he held daily during the ten-day adjournment until the House of Representatives resumes. Mr. Forbes added that there had been a complete absence of party considerations during the afternoon's discussion. It was not expected, of course, that there would be any developments as the result of the initial meeting of the new Ministry. In fact, it is very probable that nothing of importance will become known until the promised statement indicating the Government's policy is made to the House in due course. Election Question Mr. Forbes stated that he fully expected to be able to inform the House of some of the measures, at any rate, which it is proposed to in- j troduee at an early date. The actual Bills would not be ready for presentation immediately, but their contents would be forecasted. "Will that statement include a reference to a possible postponement of the genei-al elections?" Mr. Forbes was asked.

"Undoubtediy," he replied. "By that time the Government will be able to decide whether a postponement of the election is necessary, and if so, for what period, for the question is all bound up in the policy we have to evolve." A minor alteration in the allocation of Ministerial duties has been made. Charge of the Tourist and Health Resorts, Publicity and the Statisticians office had been given to Hon. A. Hamilton, but those offices have now been handed over to the Hon. R. Masters as they must be held by the Minister of Industries and Commerce. Portfolios Arranged Mr. Hamilton will therefore be Minister of Labour, Minister of Internal Affairs, Postmaster-General, Minister of Telegraphs and Minister in Charge of the Registrar-General's, Audit, Museum and Advertising Departments, while Mr. Masters will be Minister of .Education and Minister of Industries and Commerce, as well as Minister in Charge of the Tourist and Health Resorts, Publicity and the Statistician's Office. Ministers and their staffs at Parl.ament House are embroiled in a turmoil of changing suites and generally settling down in their new quarters allotted to them. There has been a good deal of rearrangement and the offices and corridors are littered with piles of papers, flies, furniture, books and records, which are ueing shifted about the building. It was stated in the lobbies to-day that there may be some complications over the appointment of Mr. S. A. Smith to the position of Chairman of Committees of the House of representatives. Reports are current that Mr. Smith's selection will not command the unanimous support of the Reform Party and that a nominee from that quarter may be expected. The name of Mr. A. Harris (Waitemata) is mentioned in this connection. Private Secretaries The allocation of private secretaries is not yet completed, but it is understood that the following secretr.ries have already been appointed : — The Right Hon. G. W. Forbes (Messrs C. A. Jeffrey and J. A. Mitchell), the Right Hon. J. G. Coates (Mr. N. E. Hutchings and Dr. R. M. Campbell), the Hon. E. A. Ransom (Mr. A. W. Mulligan), the Hon. W. Downie Stewart (Mr T. R. Aiclcen), the Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata (Mr II. R. II. Balneavis), the Hon. J. A. Young (Mr J. T. Waugh), the Hon. R. Masters (Messrs K. M. Sleight and W. I. Deavoll), the Hon. D. Jones (Mr. W. R. King), the Hon. J. G. Cobbe (Mr. F. G. Matthews) , the Hon. A. Hamilton (Mr. F. M. Sherwood).