A MINISTER’S CROWDED DAY: SOME RECENT EXPERIENCES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20310, 21 May 1934, Page 6

A MINISTER’S CROWDED DAY: SOME RECENT EXPERIENCES.

Problems that Require Meditation: Petitions Heard on Empty Stomachs.

(Special to the “Star.”) WELLINGTON. May 21. The Minister of Linance has gone into seclusion in remote W aiho on the West Coast, where, as he hopes, he will “have time to think.” Mr Coates has thus brought vividly before the public mind a serious problem which frequently faces Ministers of the Crown who have lives so crowded with callers and important routine that there is little time left for constructive thought. And if happily they reach the point of leisure, they are too tired to think' clearly.

PARLIAMENT will shortly be at work, taking up afternoons and evenings, and often the early hours of the morning in addition. But the Minister of Finance must somehow find time to take a broad and general survey of the Dominion’s financial position, to decide on what lines he will recommend the House to face the financial future. Estimates of probable receipts by the Consolidated Revenue for the year ending March 31, 1935, have been framed by responsible heads of departments, particularly the Customs branch and the Land and Income Tax Department, and these have to be considered before the Minister takes the responsibility of framing his estimates of expenditure. On these decisions will depend whether taxation is to be increased, or whether the time has come to give practical effect to the belief that the country is on the up-grade, and that some of the heaviest taxation burdens can be relieved because revenue will be more buoyant in future. Reserve Bank. While finance is the major problem calling for thought, the Finance Minister is also concerned over the launching of the Central Reserve Bank. Apparently its directorate has not been an easy matter to complete, judging by the long delay in announcing the appointments. And as Minister of Customs, Mr Coates has to take charge of a complete review of the Customs tariff during the coming session, involving consideration of the voluminous mass of information collected by the recent Tariff Commission, its recommendations, and their bearing on the Ottawa Agreement. Perhaps the problems of the dairy industry, which have involved laborious hours to Ministers for many weeks, can momentarily be put aside until the Royal Commission is able to contribute its suggestions. Endless Deputations. Members of Parliament declare that Mr Coates is the hardest man to see of all Ministers, and this is true though it involves no suggestion that he is very exclusive to callers. His chief problem appears to be the reception of a never-ending series of deputations. His day commences at 9 a.m., usually with a long conference with the head of the Treasury, and the rest of the office hours are filled with inevitable routine, so that he is frequently obliged to return to his desk in the evening, when there are few interruptions. The Prime Minister starts his official day a little later than his colleague, because he

is very insistent on getting an hour’s walk after breakfast, and covers an almost invariable route which need not be indicated here, for fear that business might be thrust upon him before he reaches the office. This week he wished to attend to .some private matters at his home in Cheviot, and so urgent were the affairs of the Government that he travelled overnight to Lyttelton, rushed to Cheviot and back the next day, and caught the same boat to Wellington so that he could continue official work w’ith only a twenty-four-hour break. A Striking Illustration. But business had accumulated, and the first morning’s programme became so crowded that a large deputation from r.ll branches of the public service, anxious to present a request for restoration of wages, could not reach its objective, the Prime Minister and Mr Coates, until forty minutes after the arranged time, which was noon. Ten organisations had collaborated in the preparation of the statement to these Ministers, and it had been printed, taking up ten quarto pages of small type. There was one speaker, and he read this statement with occasional additions by way of emphasis. The field to be covered was so wide and important that no exception could be made to its length, but lunchtime quickly came round, and he still went on. Half-past one, and Ministers were still listening. Mr Coates was due to catch the Picton steamer leaving at 2 45, and he anxiously watched the clock without comment. However, when prospects of lunch had drifted away the Prime Minister suggested that some of the general arguments in the case, involving high exchange and unemployment, might be “ takqn as read ” —he was following the speaker with the printed pages—and this resulted in some abbreviation. Mr Coates was able to make a brief reply, and hurry away to the steamer, while it is assumed that the Prime Minister could get but a sketchy meal, for he had to complete a day’s work, address the inaugural meeting of the Royal Society of New Zealand in the evening, and make an early start the following day for Taranaki. There is a telephone wire running alongside the forest road from Hokitika to Waiho for about fifty miles, so that communication with the Minister of Finance is fairly uncertain. If during current stormy weather there is a breakdown, the Ministerial party will probably not expect the Post and Telegraph officials to make very fra’ntic efforts at prompt restoration.