A German Co-operative Community.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 860, 24 August 1888, Page 4

A German Co-operative Community.

The Amana Community in lowa, including a population of about 2,000, is an interesting illustration of the success of co-operative effort among thrifty Germans. The settlement was begun in 1855 and the colony now owns 26,000 acres of land. The land forms a single township and the people are grouped in seven villages. Each village is a social and industrial unit, and has a definite area assigned to ilfor cultivation and pasturage. The government of the colony’s affairs, as a whole, is invested in a Board of thirteen Trustees; while each village has its Board of Elders, varying in number from seven in the smallest to eighteen in the largest. The central institution in each village is the ‘store,’ whicli is a large general retail estab. lishment carrying groceries, drug, dry goods, clothing, hats and caps, hardware, eljo. Its book-keeping is very elaborate, for, except in dealings with outsiders, the colonists do not ordinarily use money. Everything is done by a system of accounts which are kept at the ‘store.’ The blacksmith shop and the carpenter shop have accounts against the farm department which are duly recorded on the village books. Every family or adult has an account at the * store,’ certain credits being apportioned to all members by the elders at the commencement of each year, which are drawn against by purchasers. Boarding-houses furnish meals to memb era in each in groups o f from forty to fifty each. Houses are assigned to families by the elders, who provide shelter for all. Tbe community conducts a number of mills and manufaoturing enterprises.