ONE YEAR IN OFFICE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 225, 22 September 1932, Page 21

ONE YEAR IN OFFICE.

COALITION MINISTRY. EVENTS BEFORE FORMATION. HAPPIER OUTLOOK OF TO-DAY. (By Telegraph.—Parliamenta-y Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. To-day marks the first anniversary of one of the most notable events in New Zealand's political history —the formation of the Forbes-Coates Ministry and the coalescence of the Reform and the United parties. 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 coincide with the opening of a session which itself ushers in a return to a more normal working of the legislative machine. With the national revenue crumbling, and the prospect of unpleasantly persistent increases in the estimated deficiency, the United administration in March, 1031, 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 assistance, in an effort to restore Budget equilibrium. With a still gloomier financial outlook at the opening of the main 1931 session, on June 25, the political situation was still obscure. At the close of the emergency session, on April 28, 1931, Mr. Forbes had made his National Government offer to the official Reform Opposition, but Mr. Coates did not accept the invitation, and the position was not improved at the opening of the June session, wKen the attitude Reform would adopt was still highly problematical. Labour had already made it clear that it would vote the Government out at any cost and on any pretext. Inter-Party Committee. Following some party skirmishing for tactical advantage between the Labour and Reform parties Mr. Coates partially relieved the tension by his "help rather than hinder" offer, but the lobbies were soon to reverberate with the rumblings of dissatisfaction and discord. The financial debate was at an end before the move was initiated which led to the ultimate coalition. Mr. Coates' suggestion for the .appointment of the now famous Inter-Party Committee was adopted by Mr. Forbes, and a party truce was* declared. The deliberations did not follow the course anticipated, and a state of crisis was reached on September 15. A scries of party caucuses and consultations was held, the result being the announcement, on September 18, that a coalescence of the Reform and the United forces had been agreed to. Sworn in One Year Ago. The usual formalities connected with the formation of a new Cabinet followed, and the Forbes-Coates Ministry was chosen, on the basis of equal representation, and duly sworn in. It met the House on the evening of September 22. The December elections gave the new administration a further term of office, which last session was extended for a further year by Legislative enactment. The work carried out by the Coalition Ministry in the last twelve months requires no restatement.