THREE YEARS OLD

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 306, 22 September 1934, Page 9

THREE YEARS OLD

Coalition Government Three years ago to-day the present Coalition between the Reform and the United parties came into being. Mr. G. W. Forbes (United) -retained the office of Prime Minister, and Mr. J. G. Coates. Leader of the Reform Party, became Minister in Charge of Unemployment. The other members of the Cabinet, with their principal offices, were: Mr. W. Downie Stewart (Reform), Minister of Finance; Sir Apirana Ngata (United). Native Minister; Mr. J. A. Young (Reform), Minister of Health; Mr. R. Masters (United), Minister of Education; Mr. D. Jones (Reform), Minister of Agriculture: Mr. J. G. Cobbe (United), Minister of Defence; Mr. A. Hamilton (Reform). Minister of Labour. Shortly after midday Mr. Forbes paid an official call to the GovernorGeneral and tendered his resignation, together with the resignations of his old Cabinet. S_oon after 4 o’clock the new members of the Cabinet were sworn in.

The Prime Minister declared to the crowded House in the evening that th » Coalition contained “equal representation of both sides in order that concen trated effort might be put forward to bring stability in our public finances ... This is the time when the national emergency calls for sacrifice and self denial on the part of our citizens. . . The times through which we are passing call strongly for unity, co-opera-tion and courage on the part of our citizens.” /

Mr. Coates said: “It appeared to members of the Reform Party that if New Zealand were to be served, and served quickly, it was up to every mem’ber of the party, and its supporters, to endeavour to assist the country in what appeared Ito us its hour of need.” The immediate cause of the Coalition was the “deadlock” reached by fjie Special Economic Committee comprised of representatives of the Reform, United, and Labour parties, set up to try and find some way of concerted action to stabilise the finances of the Dominion, and to remedy unemployment.