QUESTION AS TO THE EXCHANGE ON PRIMARY PRODUCE NEW PRICES

Wanganui Chronicle, 4 August 1948, Page 4

QUESTION AS TO THE EXCHANGE ON PRIMARY PRODUCE NEW PRICES

(P.A.) Parliament Bldgs., Aug. 3 In the House of Representatives today, Mr. F. Langstdne (Govt., Roskill), in association with Messrs. W. T. Anderton (Govt., Auckland Central), W. W. Freer (Govt, Mt. Albert), T. E. Skinner (Govt., Tamaki), P. Kearins (Govt., Waimarino), Ormond Wilson (Govt., Palmerston North), and Dr. A. M. Finlay (Gog.t., North Shore), gave notice to ask the Prime Minister if the Government would consider deducting from the new scale of prices for primary products sold to the Ui'ted Kingdom an equivalent amount of money, the value of which is represented by the operation of the existing exchange rate between New Zealand and Britain.

The questioners asked further whether the amount of money value so deducted would be paid Into a special account to be used for: (1) Repayment of portion of the internal national debt, and (2) to subsidise the following commodities on the local market: Coal, wheat, flour, bread, meat, sugar, and children’s clothing, including children's footwear. Up to this point Mr. Langstone had twice been interrupted by Mr. Speaker (Mr, McKeen), who said the question was verging upon a speech and that it contained comment.

Mr. Langstone said his note to the question was brief. Proceeding to read the note, he said 25 per cent, exchange added'to the export prices had, with the increase in those prices, reached a large annual sum. At this point he was stopped by Mr. Speaker, who said the question should be handed in for revision.