Written for The Magazine Page. CO-OPERATION

Grey River Argus, 7 September 1939, Page 10

Written for The Magazine Page. CO-OPERATION

(By

MOSES ARYTON).

Methodist Parsonage, Richmond, Nelson.

The word, Co-operation, stands as one of the most beautiful in the English language. It is the opposite of strife and competition in the economic realm. The meaning of the word is clear —working together for mutual benefit of the common cause. The age of industrialism from the latter half of the Eighteenth Century, gave I some stimulus to! the selfish instincts. French economists used the phrase. Laissez Faire, as being descriptive of the governing idea of the age. Adam Smith and his school affirmed that the best results would follow the policy of unrestricted individualism. The history of the last two centuries is an object, lesson revealing the failure of competitive strife in every industry, and in every country that has pursued a policy of nationalism. Robert Owen, a Welshman and a successful cotton spinner, conceived the idea of establishing a consumers co-operative society in order to prove the value of co-operation over individualism. It was a feeble beginning when 28 weavers in a Lancashire town contributed £2B for a world cooperative movement. However, after the lapse of years the idea so conceived has shown its value in the growth of co-operative societies in all parts of the world. The non-success of a particular group does not indicate the failure of the principle of co-op-eration, but the weakness of administration or slackness in organisation. I have witnessed the passing, of societies in mining towns and in the ,cities of North and South Islands; but my faith in the soundness of the cardinal principles of co-operation remain undimmed. The township of Runanga with its fine and flourishing society, which has survived the storms of disputes in the mining industry; the destructiveness of fire and seriousness of trade depression, is a standing memorial to the men and women who have managed and supported it both in fair and foul weather. When the history of the social movement is written in any part of the world, and particularly in New Zealand, there will be no prouder record than that furnished by the Runanga Industrial Co-operative Society. George Elliot once said that the growing good of the world is due to men and women who sleep in nameless graves. There have been men and women who have graced the movement by their distinctive services; but when I call to mind the names of those whom I have known and remember their devotion to a great principle; the services they have rendered unstintedly to their local store; any sacrifices they were called upon to make to meet a d’fficult situation which was rreely and cheerfully given I salute their names

and signal to them in passing. At the moment of writing these notes the dark clouds of war threaten to involve the whole civilised world. Acute nationalism, racial pride, commercial struggle for supremacy are leading the peoples of the world to a shambles and may be to the overthrow of the white man’s civilisation. The eternal values of co-operative service, working together to build the Commonwealth, these spiritual principles will remain as our indestructible treasure. William. Morris said competition is the law of heath; co-operation is the law of life. The years seem now to be passing quickly by and the fruits of one’s toil appear to mature slowly; but all of us may" be encouraged with the thought that if the object of life is afar off, the effect must follow the course and the effect produced must be equal to the course. Wtih steady and persistent effort co-operation must grow in New Zealand. The future belongs to it.