A CO-OPERATIVE SUPPLY STORE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8919, 25 September 1890, Page 3

A CO-OPERATIVE SUPPLY STORE.

A general meeting of railway servants and others in favour of establishing a co-operativo supply store was held at the Oddfello^' Hall, Rattray street, last night. The were about 80 persons present. Mr A. Bathgate was voted to the chair. The Chaibman stated that ho had been re-

quested to attend tbo meeting, and he gladly acceded to the invitation, as he was a firm believer in the principle of co-operation. Although an unsuccessful attempt was made some time ago to form a co-operative store, that was no reason wby another attempt should not be made now with, perhaps, different results. The management of the previous concern gavo a great | deal of credit, and the consequence was they came to grief. Of course, good management was essential to the success of anything. The present meeting was due, he might say, to the idea having entered iuto the minds of two different sections of men, ono being the railway servants, who had a notiou to start a co-opera-tive supply -.torn. There was another section of the community moving in the same direction, and it was suggested that the two bodies should work together and go ou a broader basis, so that others than railway servants would be allowed to become members. The speaker then called on Mr J. Forsyth, who had convened the meeting, to address them. J

Mr Foesyth said that at the last meeting of the railway meu there was a provisional committee appointed to lay down a basis on which a co-operative supply store should be started. That committee met, and with the assistance of several other gentlemen tho following resolutions, amongst others, were carried at a meeting on the 4th September:—"That the objeot of the Co-operative Association should be to provide the shareholders and the public with household goods at lowest rates for cash or such equivalent, and all profits arising from the business to be divided amongst shareholders at such periods as the directors for the company may determine; that the association be called tho Railway Trades Co-operative Stores Association, and be incorporated under the Joint Stock Companies' Act; that the nominal capital be £50,000, in £1 shares—2s 6d on application, 2s 6d on allotment, and the balance to be called up if required at not less than six months' intervals (this would give £12,500 at the beginning—amplo to cover all engagements on cash payments); that no shareholder be allowed more than 200 shares; that the voting power be based on the principle of ' one man one vote,' irrespective of the number-of shares a person m-g'ot hold; that those holding 25 share, or over shall ba eligible for a seat on the directorate; that the number of directors be seven." These resolutions were carried unanimously. Mr Forsyth went on to say that, with a view to allowing the railway servants in the country to benefit by a co-operative store, when such was started, he wrote to tho Railway Commissioners asking them if they would grant free transit for goods from these stores to the railway servants in the country who required them for family use. He had received a reply to the effect that the matter would ba considered by the commissioners, and he had no doubt it would be kept steadily in view.—(Laughter.)

The Chairman said he thought there were some of the resolutions that Mr Forsyth had read were open to discussion. It would be very difficult to settle many of the necessary matters at a meeting of that kind, and it would, he thought, be advisable to appoint a committee to draw up a basis on which to work.

■ Mr Clarke said they were there that night a promiscuous gathering, aud for that reason to couple tho name of the ralway servants with the society would ba wrong.—(Hear, hear.) He would propose that it be a mutual stores supply company (limited).

After a discussion it was agreed, on the motion of Mr Clarke, seconded by Mr T. K. Hartj— " That in tho opinion of this meeting it is desirable that a co-operative supply association be formed."

The motion was carried,

The following committee was appointed to draw up articles of association s—Messrs Forsyth, Twopeny, Kitchen, M'Lean, Harty, Slater, Bathgate, Clarke, Watkins, M'Pherson, and others.

Mr Wilkinson suggested that the matter of starting a co-operative supply store should be put off until the present disorganised state of affairs was settled and the elections had been disposed of. The thing would then bo taken up "with spirit.

Mr NswroiJ remarked that if not much interest was shown in the movement it was because the working men could not at present afford to go to any expense in the matter. Ho urged that working men only should havo a hand in the promotion of the concern.—(Applause ) After a little further irrelevant discussion, the meeting broke up after a vote of thanks had teen accorded the chairman for presiding.