PARLIAMENT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 36, 5 October 1931, Page 4

PARLIAMENT

Speeial Commissioner.)

MOMENTOUS C4IANGE IN PARTY ALIGNMENT NOT-MARKED. MEMBERS SETTEE DOWN.

("Post"

WELLINGTON, Saturday. There was nothing in the appearance and demeanour of the House of Representatives yesterday, when it resuined after the ten-day adjournment to enable the Coalition Governm'ent to draft its programme, to suggest to the casual observer that a momentous change had oceurred in the administration. Members took their seats under the new party arrangement for the first time, Reform and United members being seated together on the right of Mr. Speaker, and on the eross benches and the Labour Party, now the Official Opposition, on the benches formerly occupied by the Reform Party on Mr. Speaker's immediate left. The two leaders of the Government, Mr. Forhes and Mr. Coates, are not aetually bench-mates, but they are seated together with only the gangway between their seats separating them. They affably exchanged remarks during the preliminary proeeedings and there was nothing to indicate that they had not been party colleagues for years in the same position in the House. The 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. H. Atmore) has a front seat in the same block. Other ex-Ministers of the United Cabinet are located behind the new Ministry. Apparently a misunderstanding exists concerning the leadership of the House, which devolves on the Prime Minister. The leader of the Opposition (Mr. H. E. Holland), in the course of a speech on the Imprest Supply Bill, several times addressed Mr. Coates as the leader of the House and when Mr. Murdoch, Chief Go~ vernment Whip, asked 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 the House, and Mr Holland said: "The ex-Minis-ter has been misinformed. The leader of the Reform Party is now the leader of the House. What has happened is that we are 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.