Liberal-Reform coalition Government of New Zealand

The Liberal-Reform coalition government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand

Governments of New Zealand

The Government of New Zealand , formally Her Majesty's Government in New Zealand, is based on the Westminster system of responsible government...

from 1931 to 1935. It was a coalition

Coalition

A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...

between two of the three major parties of the time, the Liberals and Reform, formed to deal with the Great Depression

Great Depression

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...

which began in 1929. The Labour Party refused to join the coalition, as it believed that the only solution to the depression was socialism

Socialism

Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...

, which the Liberal and Reform did not support. Rather, they attempted to solve the country's economic problems by cutting public spending. This, the policy of making the unemployed do relief work for the unemployment benefit, and other cost-cutting policies, made the government the most unpopular of its era, and it was defeated in the 1935 election

New Zealand general election, 1935

The 1935 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 25th term. It resulted in the Labour Party's first electoral victory, with Michael Joseph Savage becoming the first Labour Prime Minister...

Welfare

Compelled the unemployed to labour on public works and other activities in exchange for an unemployment benefit.

Education

Raised school starting age to six in order to save money.
Closed teachers' colleges as cost cutting measure.

Formation

The initial coalition between the Liberal and Reform had formed earlier in 1931, following the collapse of an earlier coalition between the Liberals (under the name United) and Labour. Fearing that splitting the anti-Labour vote would result in a Labour government even if it received fewer votes than Liberal and Reform combined, the two conservative parties formed a coalition and an election agreement. In the subsequent election, the coalition won 55.4% of the popular vote, compared to 34.3% for Labour.

Defeat

The government focussed primarily on getting New Zealand out of the depression by cutting government spending and thus balancing the national budget. It dealt with widespread unemployment by initiating relief work, which involved compelling the unemployed to work on a range of projects ranging from useful public works to pointless activity. The government was widely seen as heartless, encapsulated by the commonly believed but probably untrue story that Prime Minister George Forbes

George William Forbes

George William Forbes served as the 22nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1930 to 1935. Few expected him to become Prime Minister when he did, and some believed him unsuitable, but he nevertheless remained in that office for five years...

had told a delegation of unemployed men to go and eat grass. In the 1935 election, Labour won 46.1% of the popular vote, while the coalition won only 32.9%. However the result in terms of seats was much more overwhelming, with Labour winning 53 seats to the coalition's 16. A further eleven seats were won by minor parties and independents. Following their defeats, the Liberal and Reform parties merged to become the National Party.

Electoral results

Election	Parliament	Seats	Total votes	Percentage	Gain (loss)	Seats won	Change	Majority
1931 New Zealand general election, 1931 The 1931 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 24th term. It resulted in the newly formed coalition between the United Party and the Reform Party remaining in office as the Liberal-Reform Government, although the opposition Labour...	24th 24th New Zealand Parliament The 24th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. It opened on 23 February 1932, following the 1931 election. It was dissolved on 1 November 1935 in preparation for the 1935 election...	80	396,004	55.4%		51	-3	11
1935 New Zealand general election, 1935 The 1935 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 25th term. It resulted in the Labour Party's first electoral victory, with Michael Joseph Savage becoming the first Labour Prime Minister...	25th 25th New Zealand Parliament The 25th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. It opened on 25 March 1936, following the 1935 election. It was dissolved on 16 September 1938 in preparation for the 1938 election....	80		32.9%	-22.5%	16	-35

Prime ministers

The government was led by George Forbes

George William Forbes

of the Liberal Party, with Gordon Coates of Reform as Minister of Finance

Minister of Finance (New Zealand)

The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....

Cabinet Ministers

Ministry	Minister	Term(s)
Attorney-General Attorney-General (New Zealand) The Attorney-General is a political office in New Zealand. It is simultaneously a ministerial position and an administrative office, and has responsibility for supervising New Zealand law and advising the government on legal matters...	William Downie Stewart William Downie Stewart William Downie Stewart was a New Zealand Finance Minister, Mayor of Dunedin and writer.-Early life:Stewart was born in Dunedin in 1878. His father was William Downie Stewart, a lawyer and politician...	1931–1933
	George Forbes George William Forbes George William Forbes served as the 22nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1930 to 1935. Few expected him to become Prime Minister when he did, and some believed him unsuitable, but he nevertheless remained in that office for five years...	1933–1935
Minister of Defence Minister of Defence (New Zealand) The Minister of Defence is a minister in the government of New Zealand with responsibility for the New Zealand armed forces and the Ministry of Defence.The present Minister is Dr...	John Cobbe John Cobbe John George Cobbe was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party, United Party and the National Party. He was born in Ireland, and arrived in New Zealand in 1886....	1929–1935
Minister of Education Minister of Education (New Zealand) The Minister of Education is a minister in the government of New Zealand with responsibility for the country's schools, and is in charge of the Ministry of Education.The present Minister is Anne Tolley, a member of the National Party.-History:...	Robert Masters Robert Masters Robert Masters was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party, and a cabinet minister.He was Minister of Education in the Liberal-Reform coalition Government of New Zealand from 1931 to 1934 as a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council, after being a Minister without Portfolio from 1930...	1931–1934
	Sydney George Smith Sydney George Smith Sydney George Smith was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party and then the National Party, and a cabinet minister.He was Minister of Education in the Liberal-Reform coalition Government of New Zealand from 1934 to 1935, and was also Minister of Labour.He represented the Taranaki...	1934–1935
Minister of Finance Minister of Finance (New Zealand) The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....	William Downie Stewart William Downie Stewart William Downie Stewart was a New Zealand Finance Minister, Mayor of Dunedin and writer.-Early life:Stewart was born in Dunedin in 1878. His father was William Downie Stewart, a lawyer and politician...	1931–1933
	Gordon Coates Gordon Coates Joseph Gordon Coates, MC and bar served as the 21st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1925 to 1928.- Early life :Born on the Hukatere Peninsula in Kaipara Harbour where his family ran a farm, Coates took on significant responsibility at a relatively early age because his father suffered from...	1933–1935
Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand) The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a major ministerial portfolio in the government of New Zealand.The current Minister of Foreign Affairs is Murray McCully, who was National Party Spokeperson of Foreign Affairs and Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs. There are also Associate Minister roles...	George Forbes George William Forbes George William Forbes served as the 22nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1930 to 1935. Few expected him to become Prime Minister when he did, and some believed him unsuitable, but he nevertheless remained in that office for five years...	1930–1935
Minister of Health Minister of Health (New Zealand) The Minister of Health is a minister in the government of New Zealand with responsibility for the New Zealand Ministry of Health and the District Health Boards.The present Minister is Tony Ryall, a member of the National Party.-History:...	James Young James Alexander Young James Alexander Young was a New Zealand politician of the Reform Party.He was Mayor of Hamilton from 1909 to 1912.He then represented the Waikato electorate from 1911 to 1922, and then the Hamilton electorate from 1922 to 1935, when he was defeated.He was Minister of Health from 1926 to 1928 in...	1931–1935
Minister of Justice Minister of Justice (New Zealand) The Minister of Justice is a minister in the government of New Zealand. The minister has responsibility for the formulation of justice policy and for the administration of law courts....	John Cobbe John Cobbe John George Cobbe was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party, United Party and the National Party. He was born in Ireland, and arrived in New Zealand in 1886....	1930–1935
Minister of Labour and Postmaster-General	Adam Hamilton Adam Hamilton Adam Hamilton was a New Zealand politician. He was the first leader of the National Party during its early years in Opposition.-Early life:...	1931–1935
Minister of Māori Affairs Minister of Maori Affairs The Minister of Māori Affairs is the minister of the New Zealand government with broad responsibility for government policy towards Māori, the first inhabitants of New Zealand. The current Minister of Māori Affairs is Dr. Pita Sharples.-Role:...	Apirana Ngata Apirana Ngata Sir Apirana Turupa Ngata was a prominent New Zealand politician and lawyer. He has often been described as the foremost Māori politician to have ever served in Parliament, and is also known for his work in promoting and protecting Māori culture and language.-Early life:One of 15 children, Ngata...	1928–1934
	George Forbes George William Forbes George William Forbes served as the 22nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1930 to 1935. Few expected him to become Prime Minister when he did, and some believed him unsuitable, but he nevertheless remained in that office for five years...	1934–1935
Minister of Railways Minister of Railways (New Zealand) The Minister of Railways was the minister in the government responsible for the New Zealand Railways Department 1895–1981, the New Zealand Railways Corporation 1981–1993, and New Zealand Rail Limited 1990–1993...	George Forbes George William Forbes George William Forbes served as the 22nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1930 to 1935. Few expected him to become Prime Minister when he did, and some believed him unsuitable, but he nevertheless remained in that office for five years...	1931–1935