COMMITTEE OF ALL PARTIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20958, 22 August 1931, Page 13

COMMITTEE OF ALL PARTIES.

/ MR. COAXES' PLAN ADOPTED. ELECTION NOT POSTPONED. / There was a dramatic development in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon when the debate on the Government's Budget, which had already lasted three weeks, was interrupted by the Leader of the Opposition, who, following conferences with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Labour Party, proposed the appointment of a committee representative of all parties to investigate the financial situation and decide \yhat steps should be taken to adjust the national expenditure. The proposal was promptly accepted by the Prime Minister. Mr. Forbes virtually admitted that the Budget programme does rjot meet the situation and agreed that it must be suspended pending the 'committee's recommendations. He suggested also that a National Government should be formed to act upon proposals by the committee, and further that the geperal election should be postponed. Both Mr. Coates and Mr. Holland at once affirmed their opposition to any postponement of the general election and Mr. Coates was equally definite in his rejection of the fusion proposal.