Farmers' Co-operative Association

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 139, 16 May 1891, Page 2

Farmers' Co-operative Association

MEETING AT FEILDING, A meeting called by the promoters of the proposed" West Coast Farmers' Cooperative Association " was held at Mr* Hastie's sample roomstm Thursday afternoon, and was largely attended by farmer's fairly representative of the whole district. Mr F. Y. Lethbridge was voted to the chair, and called upon Mr John Stevens to introduce the business. ■■■'■-... Mr Stevens read extracts from the balance sheets respectively of the Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association, established in 1880, and of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association, established in 1881, the former showing anet profit for last year of £6776, and thelatter of iSBB9. Mr Stevens pointed 'out in- detail the great advantages to be derived by the farmers of the district from joining- theproposed Association, and suggested hav~ ing a large wholesale store somewherealong the coast. He read a sketch of thememorandum of articles of the proposed Association, and explained its various objects^ showing, at some length, the advantages of belonging to such an insti' tution. He also gave instances of the success of similar institutions. He strongly urged the. starting' with a strong capital. The capital of the Association proposed to be formed was £200,000 in 40,000 shares of £5 each, but this would not necessarily be called up. After speaking for about half-an hour, Mr Stevens asked for an expression of opinion from those present. ■ Mr Fleasants asked where the. centre of business was proposed to; be, and if at Wellington. " Mr Stevens said this was a matter for the directors to consider. He thought the head-quarters ought to be somewhere near the oentre of the West Coast district. Mr B. B. McKenzie des'red to do away with an impression which had evidently got abroad that they intended to monopolise trade by establishing small retail stores along the coast, for such they had not the remoted intention of doing. He advocated starting with a strong capital so as not to be crippled as they otherwise would be. Mr J. R. Johnston, in response to a request, gave some particulars of the origin and. successful working of the New Zealand Farmers' Association in Canterbury from his own experience. At first it met with great opposition from storekeepers and merchants, but these had not suffered, and it had been of immense benefit to the farmers. ■•;. In reply to Mr Bevingtoh Jones, Mr Stevens said that the Ha wera Association had started with small capital, but had only been successful up to • a point, instancing that what they had gained one way by small capital they had more than lost in others. Mr Fry urged the going in for something large or nothing at all. If a small Association was formed for say the Manawatu and Rangitikei districts only, they might as well remain as they were; In reply to a question seyeral speakerssaid there was no prospect of Wanganui forming an Association, and the farmers of that district were prepared to join one formed for the whole of the West Coast. Ultimately it was unanimously resolved "That a meeting of those favorable to the forming of a West Coast Farmers* Co-operative Association be held in Wanganui this day week, and that a general meeting of shareholders be held at Feilding on Saturday 30th instant, for the purpose of appointing provisional directors and drawing up prospectus. ,; V The Chairman invited any of those present who wished to join the Association, to put down their names on the share list, and 22 persona at once put down their names, representing 177 shares, or £885. : . .■.■■-';.! A vote of thanks to the chair closed the meeting. . . • y;-„ -