CO-OP STORES.

Grey River Argus, 5 July 1922, Page 8

CO-OP STORES.

EXTENSION IN N.Z. The following circular issued by the Runanga Co-Operative Society, is selfexplanatory:—At our Half yearly meet' ing on June 23, 1922, discussion took place as to .the present state of co operation on the West Coast. It w mentioned that Runanga was practically the only Society on the Coast, am' as co-operation was booming in othei parts of New Zealand, inc Nine was op portune to full into lino in this dis iriet. Greymouth being the centre, it ..as thought that a start could be made by embracing the various organisation;' in and around the locality, and thus ve the way for the opening of a store. A Wholesale Society has beer formed in Wellington, its aims and objects being to organise and federate ■operative Societies in order to eliminate the middle man. With this cm. m view, Mr H. W. Tidman has been ap inted Manager and Organiser. Mi Tidman is a fine exponent of CoOperation, in addition he is editor ot the New’ Zealand “Co-Operator.’’ a -* paper devoted to further Rochdale CoOperation in New’ Zealand. He will in due course be visiting the Coast, and it mg could be arranged ftft him . . : .. ress the people, some good might result therefrom. The Head Organisation which is num ed The Co-Operative Union and Whole sale N.Z., Ltd., has already got the fol lowing lines on the market, and is boosted in the various Societies affiliated:—“Rochdale Tea,” “Rochdale Baking Powder,” “Coffee Essence,’" “Boot and Floor Polish,’’ “Candles,’ “Soap Powder” and other lines arc following shortly. The Nelson Society has taken oilr 40(1 shares at £1 per member of their Society. Runanga is following suit with a full quota of their membership. It your organisation is interested, kindly communicate with —Mr H. W. Tidman. Manager and Secretary, Co-Operative and Wholesale Society, (N.Z.) Ltd. Box *l6l, Wellington —who. I feel sure will supply you with all the information at his disposal. Anything our Society can do, we will be only too happy to assist. We are anxious to see the Co-Opera-tive Movement in New Zealand built up on similar lines as the “Old Land.’’ It can bo done. Will you help? Regarding the above, the last issue of the “New Zealand Co-operator” gives a yery interesting history of the Rochdale’’ Co-Operation Movement at Runanga, covering a period from !!»(><». the writer stating:—The first talk ol starting a Co-Operative store at Runanga was from Mr Andy O’Neill, now Secretary of the General Labourers' Union in Auckland, who saw’ the need of establishing a Co-Operative store. Mr O’Neill talked to his workmates at the mine about it and convened a meeting which was held in the Dunollie Hotel, there being no hall at that time. This w*as in 1906. It was decided to appoint canvassers, in order to find out how much capital w«as likely to be raised. The canvassers met with a ready response, £330 being subscribed, and it was decided to go ahead. The Provisional Committee had as officers Messrs Miller and Neilson (President aud Secretary), the latter holding office for ten years. The first building was 20 x 20 feet on a leasehold section for which £5O was paid, and the Committee told the Land Board when it refused to transfer the land, that the building was going up anyway! The first manager was Mr C. Angel, whom Mr McKenzie succeeded. In the first three months there was £5O profit oil a £6OO turnover, while the capital was raised next quarter to £460, the profit to £6B, and the turnover to £B2O. while a dividend of 1/ in £1 was paid and £23 added to reserve. For the seventh quarter sales were £2058, profit £192, dividend 1/6, and reserve £2O. In 1900 a bakery and drapery were opened, Mr C. Guthberlct and Miss Eastabrook taking charge respect - ively. In 1911 Mr John Glover was President, till bo left Runanga to join the “Maoriland Worker’’ as manager. He was succeeded in 1911 by Mr J. O’Brien, wlio eventually emulated his predecessor by becoming secretary of another Labour paper. The “Chronicler’ ’ says he proved a tower of strength to the Society. About this time Mr J. Liddle became manager, giving place in turn to Mr John Southward, Who from,, apprentice rose as a young man to manager, showing himself.au efficient ofk ficer. tau; tirch 25, 1912, a fire desthb Society’s property, Apparently due to a defect in the bakehouse. The report continues:—“Friends lamented. Enemies rejoiced, 'and said “She’s a gonner now, never to return.” Even yet, they failed to appreciate how different a thing “Rochdale” co-op-eration is from anything else in the world. The square jaw soon gained the ascendancy over the tears. New fears choked back the enemies’ jeers. The Society lost over £lOOO after the insurance had been settled. Each member agreed to give up £3 5s of their share capital to make good fhe [ deficiency. mML No time was lost. The Gymnasium I was secured until a new s/re ’ be built. .A gang of willing i cleared away the debrisj and were ’.uenibers to I'.eljfJ that took hor.e yerhap him. he BK Society.

I position he proved a vers real (-living force oeath claimed liini. Tip memory of him and his example will ever be green., Mr Mi'lor once inoro offered his services as architect. Mem'bers were appealed to lor more cape e tai and a magnificent response was :- made. Never was the true spirit cl • Co-operation more pronounced, and in k less than two months the now .-tore >- was fully equipped and stocked, ready s i for action. In April, 1912, th-? Greyi.icutli Co d operative Society approached the llur’nanga Society with a view to (.-tab >- I lishing a Co-operative So->-’ciety in Greymouth, but while fully in 11 accord with the suggestion, it fel that o owing to the demands made by the s fire the scheme was impracticable In s December, 1912, Mr James i)’Bri*-n, n who had done valuable, work as I’l.’si n d-ont during a very trying tinn , mired, >- and was succeeded by Mr H. J. M ; e A notable development took place in i- October, 1913, when the Society’s first • 1 indent was recorded, the tran-a.-t.«>•> >- being an order for boots from. the. r« “C.W.S. ’’ These boots sold very ri- >- pidly and only the outbreak of the f war stopped this enterprise. a In November, 1913, came th ? big >- strike, and here again was shown Ihe n true spirit of Co-operation. The Sof ciety stood by all Unionists and an ii arrangement was entered into with the t Strike Committee to pay back rhe debt. when they were able to do so. An i* extension of the building became nee- !■ essary in April. 1914, when the Boot !• and Drapery Departments were s in line and separated from the <-.vo- ■ eery Department. Also a new «y?tvn. e of lighting was installed, and ‘he ng ’ ency for the Northern Assurance Co. ’ was taken over about this lime. « 0 tf The educational side of the movement began to receive a filip in Sepb m 9 ber, 1914, when arrangements weie '■ made to take quantities of the Co oph crativc magazine. “The Wheat 1 sheaf.’’ The Blackball and Johnse iville societies co-operated with Ronan l ’ ga and a local page was added. Mr l - Moses Ayrton, an ardent f/b-operator and educationalist was local editor 0 until his departure. The Society commenced operations in I• ■ Repairing in Octobcr, 1914. c In December, 1914, Mr Morris was succeeded in (he chair by Mr Andrew Smith (better known as “Scotty’’L ' another stalwart who worked hard for the Society until he left for America. A system known as Trading Capital p was inaugurated in February, 1915, t'» enable workers to secure themselves r against short time or unemployment. ’ the idea being to deposit with the So- '• ciety £5, £lO or £2O as might be con--1 venient when members had it available ’ and then work it of! in goods, interest v being paid on monthly balance.-'. In April. 1915, a fully qua.bfi- ■! and ‘ experienced drapery man was. put in charge of the Drapery Department, and • an expert was also placed in charge 1 J the Boot and Repairing DepartmentThe mines having been extended tu r Rewanui, a Biaiich ws established there in July, 1915, and was cont.nned *' unr.l Aptil last year. A nether change ? of management occurred in September ’ 1915, Mr Southward resigning. Mr C. Wilkinson, now Man; g?r ol th.( ’ Christchurch Society, was appoint.-d to ' fill the vacancy. Shortly alter, Mr 1 Smitn left for America, am’ Mr J. O - 1 Brien v r as elected for a second tem. 1 The first change in the Secretaryship occurred in May, 1913, t<> Mi • Jj-mes Neilson securing -h? important ‘ pns.i on of mine manage’’. At the f‘d- ■ lowing election Mr T. Bowes was eho f sen. The Society next bought the • Bc.joi’gh Council’s carting bcunos nn J plant in July, 1916, for a sum of £2(>o f The result has been a considerable re--1 duction in charges for carting to mem- ' bers. A deputation of influential citi- • zens representing various departments 5 in the Public Service at. Greymouth, visited the Runanga store in the same ’ month, to inquire into the system of • trading, and the President and Committee gave them all the information • in their power, and promised every pos- ' sibl-e assistance 1 in the event of these 1 gentlemen starting a Society. Owing 1 to business reasons Mr Jas. O’Brien • retired from the Presidency in September, 1916. Mr Morris coming back to the position for a further term. Mr Geo Hunter became President in 1917. An appeal for more capital saw £4OO 1 soon subscribed. A strike on the Conscription question the Committee ready as oV?r to stand by all Unionists, even though they were not members of the ’ Society. After a conference of Co operative Societies in 1918, the Society unanimously decided to affiliate with the proposed Federation of Societies. 'l'he resignation of Miss Coulthard was followed by Mr T. Bowes being appointed full-time Secretary in March, 1919. Mr G. R. Hunter took a third term as President* by special request. Very shortly afterwards the Society lost by death Mr H. J. Morris, the Vice-President. Higher prices necessitated in 1920 a suspension of dividends for six months. In August. 1920, combined efforts led by Mr H. W. Tidman, resulted in a conference of “Rochdale” societies in Wellington in !December, 1920, the Runanga Society I being represented on this occasion by their Secretary, Mr T. Bowes. At this conference the Co-operative Union land Wholesale Society was established. I The Runanga Society affiliated and has i stood loyally by the organisation since I iff? inception. < j Tke members agreed in September, | 192 1 . that 30 per cent, of members’ dividends should be withheld each" periiod, until each member’s share capital reached £4O. At the same time the v/as deputed to canyass

mid organise new members, but when Mr Douglas, nib assistant, “joined up with, the married brigade,’’ the Secretary had to give all his time to the office. The Boot Department was In May, 1921, it was decided in view of the slump in the drapery trade to write down stocks by 31000. pay a dividend of 1/6 in the £, amt meet the deficiency out of Reserves. Experience proved this to. have been a wise policy. Members had boon receiving 2/- in the £ for some limo past. After four years’ useful service to the Society Mr G. R. Hunter resigned the Presidency, and after a lot of persuasion Mr James Richmond, who had fill ed various official positions in the Society covering a period of twelve years agreed to fill the vacancy. At tin. 1 Conference of Co-operative Societies hold in Wellington in December. 1921. the Secretary, Mr T. Bowes, again represented Runanga. Judging by the enthusiasm shown by delegates, hopes are entertained that before another Conference the “C.U. and W.S. ’ will have assumed its rightful place in steering Ihc destinies of < o-opei'ation in New Zealand. Since December, 1921, up to the present good progress had been made by the Runanga Society, especially in view of the general trade depression. New members from overseas have joined and members who had withdrawn have rejoined. This fact maTies’ it quite clear that Co-operation is right when we see old members coming nack to the fold. It is interesting to note, that one member who left the district invested £5 ten years ago. He took away to the Old Country from this Store £2Ol, and we could point to several members who have accumulated similar sums by allowing their divid(lends and interest to remain in th<Society. Members meeting adversi* 1 ' have been helped by accumulated divi d< nds. The records of the Runanga Co-op-erative Society contain ample proof that Co-operators are something more than storekeepers. They are pioneers in the practice of real comradeship. The sales for the last half-year shov> an increase over the previous period of nearly £6OO. The total sales since the lire in 1912 amount to close on a quarter of a million pounds. During the same period profits of the Society have amounted to £22,510. Buildings and plant costing £l6OO have boon written down to £3l®’