BEST MARKET

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 84, 6 October 1933, Page 9

BEST MARKET

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCER

LABOUR VIEWPOINT

The. contention that the New Zoaland farmers''best market was within the Dominion was made by Mr. A. S. Richards (Labour, Roskill) in the House of Representatives last night in the course of his speech in the Address-in-Reply debate. Mr. Richards said that Mr. <J. A. Nash (Government, Palnierston North) had stated in December last at Ashhurst that he wag not an advocate of the raising of the exchange, but had pointed out the dangers of such a policy. However, he had supported the Government in Wednesday's decision. He would now have to, share the responsibility for the disastrous effects of exchange inflation.- Mr. Richards said that the stock "and station agents ; the banks, and the wealthy woolgrowers had benefited from the lunation of the exchange, but he had yet to find a small farmer who had received any advantages. It had been said that there was no one going short of food, but the Auckland City Mission doctor in his annual report had pointed out that 80 per cent, of tJio 5000 cases ho Aad examined were nuffering from malnutrition. The world was not suffering f roni over-production, but underconsumption. The best market for the New Zealand farmer was in the Dominion. Mr. J. Hargest (Government, Invercargill): How much more could be consumed. , , • ■ Mr. Richardd: I shall say about 33 1-3 per cent., There are 200,000 people in this country tonight whose cupboards and wardrobes are 50 per cent, below what they should be enjoying. Even in the best times there were large numbers of workers and their families on the bread-line. He said that the British market would never be as great in the future- as it had been in the past. It would be an act of statesmanship if the Government would reverse its policy and increase the standard of purchasing power beyond previous levels and give the people the prosperity th'oy were entitled to,