FREE EXCHANGE.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LIII, Issue 12, 12 February 1932, Page 3

FREE EXCHANGE.

At the recent Dominion Executive, Mr A. C, Davidson, general manager lof the Bank of New South Wales, gave an address on the major problems confronting the farmers in New Zealand at the present time. The four principal remedies recommended for the serious plight of primary producers were:—(a) Keep up our export of primary produce, and increase it as much as possible to counteract the low prices; (b) Keep up the quality of our exports, and improve it as much as possible to obtain the highest prices; (c) Have as wide a spread of exports as possible so as not to have all our eggs in one basket, and (d) Secure as high a pricelevel for our exports as possible. He pointed out that the latter would be supplemented by a higher rate of exchange, as was the case in Australia and Argentine. The following resolution was carried unanimously:— "That this Executive supports and endorses the action of the Farmers' Exchange Committee in demanding free exchange, and places itself behind" that organisation in anything it may do towards that end."

CLOSING OF SCHOOLS. . Prior to the recent Executive meeting, the Minister of 'Education was asked to indicate to the Union his policy regarding the closing of rural schools. He replied thus:—• "I wish to say that the only schools it is proposed to close are the very small Grade O schools, those with an enrolment of less than six pupils. None of these, however, will be closed before all the circumstances are considered, and then only when it is evident that the pupils would receive a better education through the medium of my Department's Correspondence School."

PRODUCERS' EXECUTIVE. A suggestion was made at the recent Executive meeting that a Primary Producers' Executive consisting of representatives of the N.Z, Farmers' Union, the Sheepowners' Federation, the Dairy Farmers' Union, the N.Z. Poultry Association, the N.Z. Pig Breeders' Association, the N.Z. Fruitgrowers' Federation, the N.Z. Honey Producers' Association, should meet occasionally to discuss the major problems affecting the primary producers of the Dominion. A committee consisting of Messrs W. J. Poison, M.P.., N. Campbell, W. Morrison and H. B. Stuckey, was appointed to further the suggestion.