A FARMERS' CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1892, 15 May 1890, Page 10

A FARMERS' CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY.

At a meeting of the Wyndham Farmers' Club, held on the 7th inst., the question of the formation of a farmers' co-operative sooiety was brought up through the reading of a letter from Mr James Green, secretary of the Farmers' Union, on that and other subjects.

Mr Cushnie moved that the union tie informed that tho Wyndham Club was not In favour of supporting a co-operative society, and in the course of his remarks he said that his experience Of co-opera-tion in Southland had been anything but pleasant. He had been a member of a co-operative society in Southland, taking out shares and 12 months' stores, and paying cash for the latter at what was considered market value. There was to be a great bonus at the end of the year, but before ttiat time arrived he was requested to pay the balance of his calls, affairs having been thoroughly mismanaged and the company being on its last legs. That was all the bonus he had received) Then another co-opera-tive company was started In Dunedin, but they only wanted the prinoipal men, but he wasn't on after bis first experience. One of the benefits it proposed to confer upon humanity was the proouration for farmers of cheap money, and he believed they really did intend to do that ; but those who did not want money paid the interest-and sometimes the prinoipal— for men of a speculative turn of mind, and who were always ready to play ducks and drakes with the funds of their fellows. Altogether his experience of co-operation iv Southland was not a rosy one. The farmers had better fight shy of 16.

The Chairman hoped the principle would not be ignored, though he admitted that co-operation in Southland had been a failure.

Mr Doull said the principle was right, and it was unfair to oontend that because co-operation had not succeeded in Southland in the past it could not succeed in the future. If there was a railway accident to-day it did not follow there would be one to-mor-row ; the inference rather was that more care would be exercised. So with co-operation. They had seen its failure in Southland, but if good men were placed at the head of a strong financial concern, and if they were loyally supported by the farmers, the rocks upon whioh they had struck in the past would be avoided and a grand success aohieved. The principle was right. Many societies were a great success, notably that in Christohurch and some in the Old Country. Mr James Templeton thought no decision should be come to hurriedly, and moved as an amendment that no answer be returned at present.— Seconded by Mr Doull, who also thought it would be desirable that members' opinions upon the subject should mature and become more pronounced. Mr Playfair was against holding the matter over. It would be utter foolishness to support a new society with headquarters alongside one that had already met with a good deal of enoouragement from the district. These societies— and new ones especially— were too often ruled by speculative men prepared to cut the throats of the farmers.

Mr Chisholm supported Mr Onohnie's motion. His experience of co-operation had so far been a bad one, and in regard to storekeeping and supply of general requisites for a farm, he seriously questioned whether much advantage would be gained by combination in the direction indicated by previous speakers. No doubt the Canterbury Association was a great success, but it was peculiarly favoured in its manager, those at the head of affairs were exceptionally able men, and their services were gratuitous. It appeared to him that every sort of business was run so close nowadays that if a farmer was in a position to take up shares in a co-operative society he could very well pay cash for his goods instead, and if he could do that he could get them as cheap and of as good quality through existing agencies as through anj society he might join A large amount of capital would r< quire to bo sunk in startIng a co-operative society— land, buildings, furnishing*, and a lot of paraphernalia ; so if the farmers were in a position to take up shares and start such a big undertaking, they were equally in a position to do business with existing agencies, who invariably treated a good customer with respect. Mr Noble asked if there was any truth in a report that the Farmers' Union intended taking up the business of the Mutual Agency Company; if they did that some good might result. No definite reply was forthcoming. For the motion seven voted and for the amendment an equal number. The Chairman gave his casting vote in favour of the amendment.