OFFICE ARRANGEMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20986, 24 September 1931, Page 11

OFFICE ARRANGEMENTS.

MINISTERIAL CHANGES. I SETTLING IN NEW SUITES. PROBLEMS BEFORE MR. COATES. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER. ] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Furniture removers were busy at Parr liament Buildings to-day. Signs of the Ministerial changeover were manifest in every corridor and corner of the great rambling building. Complete disorder reigned while great piles of books and papers, upon which dust had been thick for many months, were thrown into the passages and taken away by messengers. Office impedimenta was moved bodily and private secretaries and their staffs wero working in shirt-sleeves readjusting the accommodation for Ministers, who aro clearly anxious to become settled and begin the revised programme of legislation, the first portion of which is expected to be ready for presentation to the House 011 October 6. During the first part of the morning Ministers roamed about, corridors making final arrangements for suites and having their personal belongings transferred there. Congratulatory Messages. Some of those whose new quarters had not been established gave the telegraph messengers a difficult few hours in rushing about with hundreds of telegiams which poured in from all parts of the Dominion for the new Ministers, containing felicitations from constituents, organisations and friends. The rearrangement of tho Ministerial offices will ensure the Cabinet being more compact. Four only of the Coalition Ministry, the Rt, Hon G. W. Forbes, Sir Apirana Ngata, the Hons. E. A. Ransom and J. G. Cobbe, retain their old offices, the remaining six being engaged until a late hour this evening in the general post. The Rt, Hon.. J. G. Coates will have the largest suite in the building. He has taken six rooms 011 the top floor, previously occupied by Messrs. J. B. Donald and A. J. Murdoch, but in view of the importance and variety of his all the available space will be required for the efficient execution of his duties. He appears to have the heaviest task in the Cabinet, handling as lie does Unemployment, Public Works and Transport, as well as minor affairs. A readjustment of the Hon. R. Masters' executive duties is announced on account of the recent amalgamation of Industries and Commerce with several minor portfolios. Mr. Masters and not the Hon. A. Hamilton will take charge of Tourists and Health Resorts, Pub licity and Statistician's Office. Seating in Chamber. A rearrangement has also been made in the seating accommodation in the House itself, where benches have been ticketed for the occupation of members after the short recess. Messrs. Forbes and Ransom will be bench-mates, and immediately next to them Messrs. Coates and Stewart will sit as chief advisers to the Prime Minister. The Government will occupy the whole of the block 011 the right, of the Speaker and will overflow into the crossbenches. Directly opposite. Mr, H. E. Holland will have the Opposition arranged much in the same manner as when he previously led the Opposition. Mr. Murdoch, the former Minister of Agriculture, will resume his old position as chief Government Whip, with Mr. J. Bitchener as junior. Mr. Murdoch will sit with' Mr. G. C. Munns and Mr. Bitchener with Mr. J. A. Nash. The dislocation occasioned by the change is tremendous and it will be some days before normal operations are resumed and the new administration is in smooth running order.