“GOOD NIGHT, NURSE.”

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 457, 19 May 1932, Page 9

“GOOD NIGHT, NURSE.”

Country’s Fate if Farmers are Not Helped.

That it would be a case of “ Goodnight, Nurse!” for the farmers, and bankruptcy for the Dominion, if the primary producers were not immediately relieved of the economic ills piled upon them, was the declaration made by the retiring president (Mr Colin M’lntosh) in his address to the annual conference of the North Canterbury branch of the Farmers’ Union to-day. He said that the raising of the exchange rate to 125 or 130 per cent would be a direct advantage to the farmer and to the country generally. A rise of 20 per cent in exchange would mean a further increase in the gross receipts of farmers of from £6,000,000 to £7,000,000 on the present basis of exports. “By far the most vital question affecting the farmer during the year has been the Exchange Pool.” stated the president. The primary objects of the Pool were (1) to secure for the Government the amount of exchange necessary to pay its overseas commitments: (2) to prevent the exchange rising by reason of competition to a high figure, which would mean that the Government would have to pay more to liquidate its overseas debts.