TASK OF COALITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20989, 28 September 1931, Page 9

TASK OF COALITION.

»!ABDffiT'S LONG HOURS. ; *— IN THE ESTIMATES. 1ft 1 : RURAL. finance plans. PACTION DATE SPECULATION. — I [B* TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] 'WELLINGTON, Saturday. I Although the Coalition Government has iS been i n office for a few clays only, steps already been taken to effect sweepchanges in the administration of vari--"'ods departments. The Cabinet has been sitting twice daily and frequently well into the night, and plans are well under W ay for the handling of our major economic problems and adjusting the national accounts. 3 Tbe greater part of the past two days £ la«! been spent/ by Ministers and departmental heads applying the economy axe jrith a heavy hand to the Estimates ,which had already been prepared for the current financial year, but which are now generally recognised as being in need of a farther overhaul. Material reductions are believed to have been made in gome of the important votes, and anxiety ■t' is displayed in' certain departments as to the nature of the reactions these cuts ffill produce. Task For Departmental Heads. It is gathered, too, that some of the . 'departmental officers have been sent back by their Ministers tar reduce what they iad already declared to be the irreducible minimum of this year's expenditure, with the result that the administrative cupboards will be left exceedingly bare until the finances have been reviewed and the Budget has been balanced. The perusal of the Estimates, however, Is only a small part of the task of the new Ministry, the members of which are about, to make a determined effort to improve the economic position of the primary producer by a comprehensive readjustment of farmers' finance, particularly in the direction of bringing down overhead costs. One of the Ministers, commenting upon this phase of the new -'Cabinet's work, said he felt the country would be agreeably impressed when the plans of the Government were revealed. There is a great deal of speculation Smong members of Parliament upon the duration of the Coalition and the almost assured postponement of the general election for a period. The Cabinet is carefully avoiding this subject, because as one Minister remarked this morning, "We cannot determine how long the Coalition will be required until we see bow the House will take what we are going to give it." Individual Opinions. Although loyalty to the Coalition was generally assured by members of the United "and Reform parties when the chango-over was made, there is no guarantee that the Government will be ac- . corded the full support of the House upon its policy measures. Very soon after the House resumes, for example, the Government will introduce resolutions recommending the complete adoption of the Railwavs Board's report stopping six of the seven railway lines now under construction. As individual members feel most strongly upon the merits of the lines m which their districts are interested, the dSsirassion and voting will be devoid of paftv'tie?, with the possible result that a very mixed opinion will be reflected in / the division lists. To forecast complete unanimity upon the decision of the Railways Board would be to ask too much of Parliament. Labour opposes- it for a. start and there will be some division of opinion among other members as well. "They are asking for trouble if they expect unanimity upon all policy questions," declared one member in the lobby during the week. "There are several things I want to discuss when they come down." x Strength of the Coalition. It if. probable.; nevertheless, the Government will be ensured a majority upon most of its legislation because the strength of the Coalition is overwhelming and allows for quite a number of defections upon specific questions before any absences would begin to be felt. Some members have interpreted the pledges to the Coalition as implying complete support, upon the emergency policy, but the necessity for this promise from members is generally agreed 3S being on account of the possibility of fresh groups springing up in the House and forming the nucleus of new political parties. It is anticipated that the first portion of the Government's programme will be in legislative form by. the time the House meets again. The drafting office has, it is learned, been advised to prepare for a rush of legislation during the next fe'w weeks. The task of the new Government is a heavy one and possibly a long one, for as one member of the Cabinet remarked this morning. ' TJie Toad to recovery cannot be hurried. We cannot produce better times like rabbits ?ut of a hat."