HALF A CENTURY’S PROGRESS OF CO-OPERATIVE MOVEMENT

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7871, 5 August 1911, Page 11

HALF A CENTURY’S PROGRESS OF CO-OPERATIVE MOVEMENT

Started by Poor Weavers of Rochdale in 1843 Plan Has Proved Extremely Successful and Stores Dot British Isles.

I N 1843, at a time when the corn laws were in force and there was -ranch unrest and poverty among tho working classes, tho great co-operative movement was started. A strike among tho flannel weavers of Eochdale brought affairs to a head, and every Sunday afternoon tho workers met to debate tho problem “how best to improve the condition of the people." One Sunday a man, Charles Howarth, came to the meeting to say he, had thought of a way, and proposed that they should open a shop, and buy wholesale and sell retail to each other. After laying aside a reserve fund, all profits were to bo divided among the members in proportion to the money they had spent in the shop. It was agreed that a society should be formed, but now came the question of the necessary capital. These poor weavers, wool sorters, tailors, doggers, etc., could only subscribe twopence a week towards the €1 share required. Three men were appointed collectors of these twopcnces, each taking a district, and for many a month they tramped over the roads to collect tho weekly payments. Soon those interested became so hopeful, they agreed to “pinch” out threepence a week so that they might got their shop tho sooner. The Beginning

'and oatmeal. They had a difficult time at first, but tho wives of the members stood by the store loyally, and after the first year the members received interest on their capital and dividends , upon their purchases. Gradually the homes of the supporters showed tho benefits; but one of the great aims had been to produce as well as sell, and in 1850 a small society started a corn mill in Koohdalo.' After some vicissitudes, during which tho pioneers steadfastly supported tho mill and store, both in the end prospered. Other societies followed, and in 1851, 130 stores were open in the north of England and Scotland. While all these societies were hampered by the lack of capital, this very hindrance was' itself the principal cause of the solid foundation- of "no credit" on which the walls of co-operation are built. The managers who could not get credit would not pos-, sibly give it to their customers, and so “ready money" became the fixed principle of their transactions. Amalgamation.

As- the cooperative stores began to spring up in ail directions and their buyers met at various markets, members began to see that these stores ought.to federate instead of bidding against each other. . ' ,

Eoohdale again was the pioneer of the Wholesale Co-operative Society. This famous organisation has now groat huildi ings, estates abroad, many manufactories, farms and xmblic halls of its own: but it was started by a contribution (not a weekly subscription) of one farthing per member from each of the societies which agreed to combine. The benefits foretold by the founder, Abraham Greenwood, were: 1. That stores would be able to purchase more carefully and cheaply by reaching the best markets. 2, Small stores would thus sell the same quality and as cheaply as a firstclass shopkeeper.

Their ideas matured during this period of waiting. Besides establishing a store for tho sale of food, dollies, etc., they would build and purchase good houses for their members to live in, manufacture tho articles they sold and so provide work under right conditions, and would rent or buy estates of laud to bo developed by their members. As a proof of the sincerity of their wish to help tho general good, they also laid aside 21 per cent, of their profits for tho purpose of co-operativo education.

3. All the stores having the benefit of the best markets, the dividends would ho more equal, and their working expenses would ho reduced.

Finally they took' premises, in a small house in Toad lane. They had only about £ll to lay out in provisions and this'they spent on flour, butter, sugar.

4. Stores could carry on their business with less capital, for instead of having to lay in a large stock they need only take for present use from the wholesale depot.

product of these countries. -The total amount of the goods imported direct by tho C.W.S. in tho twelve months ended December. 1909. was ,£7,077,398. or 35,389,990. ■

IRST CO-OPERATIVE STORE Movement had its inception in this building in Eochdale, England.

The chief items were: America—lll,3ll,3ss, sugar, bacon, lard, wheat, and canned goods. Australia—,€llo,soß, tallow.

Austria —.€444,836. sugar, flour, boots, furnishing goods. Canada—3o39B,ls2, butter, leather.

Denmark —€3,030,961, butter, bacon, eggs. •

Fiance—,£B4,3s9, sugar, dried fruits, fancy drapery and furnishing - goods. Germany—€33o,964, sugar, green fruit, eggs, fancy goods. Greece and Turkey—€2oß,9o4, dried fruit.

5.- Stores could get the services of a good buyer, since one experienced man conld as easily purchase for 150 stores as for one.

Holland—€l32,Bl7, rice, cheese, yeast, margarine.

In March, 1864, tho English Co-opera-tive Wholesale Society began business; and the Scottish society started in 1868. There are now largo establishments in Glasgow, Manchester. Newcastle, and Bristol, numerous depots and factories in various parts of Scotland and England, creameries in Ireland and tea estates in Ceylon owned jointly by the English and Scottish cooperative societies.

Sweden—€4l6,72B, butter, eggs, timber.

Factory Enterprises

Dining rooms have been erected in several of the factories, where meals are served at the cost of food and service. Kecreation rooms with newspapers, etc., are provided. Good wages, reasonable hours of labour and a pleasant environment have done much for the workers. The society also publishes a small monthly illustrated paper, the “Wheatsheaf,’’ which has a circulation of , nearly sta.ooo.

As a rule the home buyers of the. Cooperative Wholesale Society hare samples offered them by manufacturers, but in some branches of trade they have to visit special markets. The millinery buyer visits London and Paris at certain seasons. The buyer for dried fruit goes to Greece in the autumn and thus secures the pick of the crop by calling on the largest growers and paying each on delivery. In New York, Montreal, Spain (Denia), Denmark (Aarhus and Copenhagen), ana Sweden (Gottenburg) the C.W.S. .has purchasing depots with resident buyers, who have tn purchase and ship home the

The various productive works of the Co-operative Wholesale Society are situated in England, with the, exception of the creameries and bacon factory in Ireland, a bacon factory at Herning, Denmark, and a tallow and oil factory in Sydney, Australia, the latter being a subsidiary to the soap works in England. The sites of the factories are chosen for their geographical position,-the objects being the ready supply of raw materials, ' the quick dispatch of goods, the neighbourhood of the retail stores to bo supplied, or the existence of a supply of skilled labour. The output from the C.W.S. factories in 1909 came to over '& 6,000,000.

One of the most important features is the consideration shown for the workers, evidenced by the commodious factories with a generous allowance; of light and space, the order and cleanliness of the rooms, and particularly in the, wages and conditions of the employment of women and girls. The centre of one of the foremost progressive movements in Great Britain has its headquarters in the progressive city of Manchester. At Broughton, besides a furniture factory, there is a group of clothing factories employing over 1100 hands. At Trafford wharf on the Ship canal, besides a transit shed and baron factory are the Sun flour and

First Institution of Wider Scope Begun in 1864 and no yf Factories Are Running in all Parts of the World.

. provender' mills, said to bo the largest in the Kingdom. Another large flour mill is at Oldham. At Crumpshall is the famous biscuit, sweet and cake factory whoso output reached nearly; €190,000 in 1909. At Middleton Junction, the jam, pickle and vinegar works are situated. Soap, candle, starch and land works are to bo found on the Ship canal; weaving sheds, a flannel factory • and - a. woollen mill are also near.

Newcastlc-on-Tyne is another great! centre; and London again has its warehouses, meeting hall and factories. Next in importance comes the Bristol centre, which supplies the West of England. Tho largest factory owned by tho C.WJ3. and the largest of its kind. in Great Britain is the Wheatsheaf Boot Works, at Leicester. Other boot factories bring the output to over 2,000,000 pairs of boots in the year- ' . Many other factories might bo instanced, but enough have been cited to show something of the extent of which tho movement has already grown. The total profit on this €108.900,000 of civ operative trade in 1909, after wages and expenses were paid, amounted : to €13,442,741. The total capital employed was €45,057.940. Under the system of business, followed by four-fifths of the population, this profit would have been divided, as interest on capital, at the rate of 30 per cent, among a comparatively small number of tradespeople. Under the co-operative system this hugs sum was claimed by 2,580,000 member* of cooperative societies. An Ideal Justified.

So signal a success justifies the sanguine ideal of the Boohdale weavers that the workers of the country were ablo to own and manage their own businesses. But there are other features of co-operative work besides successful trading. During 1959 over .b9I,(K)0 f waa spent in, educational work; and over .£57,000 subscribed to charitable object®

When the weavers of lloehdale started their little shop, they were planting tha germ of the idea that no individual should be allowed to amass a fortune out of the supply of necessaries to tha community.; . ' , One significant point in connection with,' this movement is that all co-operatora are of one mind concerning the advantage of free trade.