A POSER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 198, 31 December 1941, Page 6

A POSER

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS y

Something of a bombshell made its appearance at last Executive meeting of the Auckland Farmers' Union when the following remit came forward from the Kaipara Flats branch: "That the Auckland Executive immediately consult the rest of the primary producers' organisations in New Zealand with a view to formulating an economic plan that could operate in the country in the event of a total restriction of imports and exports." Mr R. R. Blade, in moving the remit, said that in such a contingency as had been referred to the farmers would constitute the chopping block for the rest of the community unless some preventive • steps were taken. To ensure equal-* ity of sacrifice it would be wise to have a plan ready for operation. Personally he had no special views, but he was convinced that the matter demanded serious consideration. Mr Clements, in supporting the remit, declared that a necessary preliminary would be for the Government to assume complete control of all currency. "Who owns the country's finance?" asked the speaker, and gave his own reply: "Not holders of gold, but those who produce goods." It would never do to hang up industry, concluded Mr Clements, for want of a plan. It was decided that the Dominion Executive of the Union be asked to place the matter before the primary producers of New Zealand.