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Hokitika Guardian, 3 December 1931, Page 4

■With -the hurly-burly of the elections past, there is now t slme and occasion for country to get hack to work and production. The exports are deeding substantially in value, and this the result of falling prices for the leading commodities, calls for greater production. The latest figures show that the recorded value of exports for the nine months ended September last, was £27,269,124, as against £37,131,C’3o, during the same nine months of 1930. This large drop of nearly £lO,030,000 averages a loss of over a million a: month less: monetary return coming into New Zealand. Great Britain is the chief buyer of the Domfnion produce, so that the credit at Home was so much less, and had its effect on the maintenance of the adverse exchange rate. It is not likely prices will soar materially. The' first flash following Britain going off the gold standard has passed, and the improvement has not been maintained. Probably much depends on the course of political, events at Home. The financial position there is serious (no less than here) and it will take time for the schemes of the Government to work their will. The protective duties which are to go on, will be helpful in steadying prices. Even if a protective tariff if placed on food supplies and raw products from the Domi n ions, it does not follow values will increase, but it should, at least, have a. steadying effect on values, which should not fall below a certain figure. If that were achieved it would be a help, for the- producers could then place their house in order as regards prod lrtive costs, New Zealand de* pc-nds practically on its exports, and these edme mainly from the land. Short of a gold rush and a big yield of the precious metal, it is from the produce of the land the good fortune of the Dominion must come. The encouragement of greater production is, therefore, as important now as ever it was, and there should he a unity of action to achieve the results so necessary for the national well-being. Mr Ransom gave some outline here of what wa.s being done, hut the work requires to be intensified if great public good is to result, and the country stem the tide of depression.