INDUSTRIAL CO.-OP

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16508, 28 April 1919, Page 8

INDUSTRIAL CO.-OP

QUARTERLY MEETING.

The quarterly general moating of the Canterbury Industrial Cooperative Society, Limited, was hold in the Trade® Hall on Saturday evening. There was a, good cttondanoo, including: a number of ladies. Tho president of the Management Commit* toe, Mr M. Hitchen, who •waa in the presented a report setting forth the position tho Sooioty hud attained during the period of three months' ending March 31st lnot. During that time tho membership roll had increased by 82. and at the latter date stood at 4<M. Tho increase waa highly satisfactory when compared with thU of one of tho largest 00-operative societies in England— the Halifax Society—which took. yean to reach a membership of 414. He strongly exhorted members to take a keen and detailed interest in the affaire of the Aasooi*-.. tion, and by their helpful rccommendanoas*' and loyal support to assist tho management* • in "their efforts to eopo with tho incrMMifig requirements of a growing jnemboißliipi»Bd expanding trade. Ho referred to the.'stwi' loss which tho movement in tho Dominion had sustained by tho death of ono of'its ablest pioneers, tho late Mr W. H, Jackson, of Wbangarei. i : Mr H. D. Acland referred to tho operationsof largo trusts, particularly to a group in America, known as "Tho Big Five," which - was making hugo profits out of food supplies and other necessities of the people*. ij'our of these in 1016 succeeded in extracting the' huge toll of £35,000,000 in profit*. Co-opera-tive trading eeemod tho most effective mean# of preventing- such pernicious operations. Capital was necessary, hut must bo a servant not a master. Co-operativo principles .-applied to trado would work out eventually in a more oqnal distribution of capital. People mightyoak whart tho co-operative store, haid done in ChristcJyuich; but we had also' to' reckon the advantages conferred in what it had prevented the other fellow from doing. As an instance of the voluf) of the coopers tive movement in teaching and "training men - and women in tho duties of citizenship he.!'' quoted a passage from the Ijondon "Times" drawing attention to tho keenness of U» women, in tho North of England districts during the recent Parliamentary elections, as compared with that evinced by - their sisters in other parts, ascribing this , to their, connexion with co-operative societies. Mr Acland concluded, by commending the cautioas policy of tho management in their oo9*.<' duct of the Society's operations. • It wt*'-' bettor to wait for tho main body of thi '. membership rather than to forgo too fat ahead. Mr Stru there said that tho movement was evolving in a satisfactory manner. Tboooet of living was a serious item. of wages was no euro for tho condition of things we saw around us; these were invariably followed by a - more than corresponding rise in tho oast of commodities, and so the enw and the evil followed each other in a "vicious circle." The elimination of waste, better organisation, the bringing of the consumer more directly into touch with the producer, these were the principles for which the cooperative movement stood, and were the only remedy. -He concluded by giving a . report of his recent visit to kindred societies in the North Island, which was mado in his capacity as organiser for the rooetrtly-formed New Zealand Association of Co-operative Societies. Seen interest was shown by the members throughout tho meeting, and many suggestions were made and earnestly discussed as to ways and means of furthering the movement. A resolution of condolonoe with the widow and family of the late Mr W. H. Jackson was carried, several of those present expressing warm appreciation of tne eminent services he had rendered in tho cause of co-operation. The chairman's report waa -oouumonely adopted. Mr Kennedy advised that dividends should bo limited to allow of a reserve fund being IbuiH np as an offset against .tho poetiflilo outbreak of epidemics of sickness,- or hnH times in trade, and which might he available to assist members who, through sicksees or unemployment, might be temporarily unable to oomply with the Society's conditions of trade for cash only.