FARMERS' PROBLEMS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 117, 20 May 1939, Page 14

FARMERS' PROBLEMS

ONE WAY OUT

"FREE THE EXCHANGE RATE"

(By Telegraph — Press Association.)

HAWERA, May 19,

Contending that the farming industry of the Dominion was in a worse condition than at any previous period, a mass meeting ot Taranaki farmers in Hawera today adopted a resolution urging the Government to free the exchange rate It was suggested that if this were done the rate would automatically reach 150. which would solve farmers' problems.

The meeting was addressed by Mr. W. J, Poison, M.P., Mr. W. Sheat, Mr. H. Blyde, and Mr. O. Hawken. who dealt at length with the serious position of the farmers of New Zealand.

Mr. Pclson said that many were near bankruptcy and were leaving their farms causing a serious decline in the production of primary products. The guaranteed price plan had failed, and. as it had already been suggested by Mr. Nash that a higher price would not be paid next year, the position of the dairy farmer would be worse than at present

All speakers contended that the raising of the exchange rate would be a way out of the morass of import restrictions for the Government, and that importers would not. be adversely affected.

The following resolution was adopted with a few dissentients: —

"That this' meeting of Taranaki farmers, having experienced the effect of rising costs and realising that unless immediate action is taken numbers of : farmers throughout the Dominion will be forced off their farms, and being satisfied that no system of subsidies or guarantees within the compass of State finance can afford real relief, demands of the Government that steps be taken to allow the exchange to rise to 150. a figure which is below the real equivalent of sterling exchange, and which, without increasing farm costs, will afford a measure of compensation to the farmers of New Zealand.*'