NOTES ON CO-OPERATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2103, 14 June 1894, Page 8

NOTES ON CO-OPERATION.

Su. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — As I half promised last week to jot down a note or two on co-operation I hasten to ease my conscience, more especially as I look upon myself as a defaulter on account of a previous promise — or wasn't that a half promise too? As I am in no way connected with the farming interest, and therefore have but little or no knowledge of farming matters, I am at a disadvantage when dealing with dairy or agricultural or pastoral affairs ; still I may be able to put in a spoke to help those exporting land products to get a fairer share of the value of their products to themselves. I have noticed more than once in my casual glance through the columns ot the Witness devoted to the country interests that capitalists have, in starting 1 or in attempting to start factories, either managed to get, or attemptbd to get, the lion's share of the profits. , Now true co-operation would do away with the itching palm of the middleman, and by bringing producer and consumer together prove of mutual advantage. There would then be no necessity for any association to attempt legislation fixing the price of milk, so that factories should not force the farmers to sell at a rate not remunerative, for the farmers being themselves the capitalists, and getting the profits returned to them approximately on the milk supplied, would be indifferent as to the price, seeing that if they did not get the results back at per gallon they would get it as bonus. Some time ago a suggestion was made by the Home agents that all batter and cheese should be sent to London and passed through the hands of a selected few. To do that would, to my mind, be suicidal ; for in time these msn would get such a grip of the trade that it would be rather a difficult matter to block them if necessity should arise. If they were interested in co-operation, and were acting purely as agents to do the best tor farmers and not for themselves, the case would be different.

Then why send all to London P Not long since a firm notified that it would put ships on the berth at Manchester for the colonies, and if so, why not give them a return loading in frozen sheep and in dairy produce!? And, by the way, why shouldn't we own th^ freezing works here and the stores at the other end? Home companies are running them, and so far as I can make out, not for our advantage; and the longer they hold the trade the harder will it be for the farming community to assert itself and get its rights.

But to resume, and to bring in co-operation. What is wanted for our produce is better distribution and defined channels of trade, so that each and every brand would find the market suited to its peculiarities. The produce ought, in my opinion, not to be centred on London, but should be distributed to Londoit, Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester, and Liverpool. And in these there are the agencies that I think could, and would, advantageously undertake the distribution of our products — I refer to the wholesale co-operative branches in those centres. Figures are wearisome, but a few will emphasise my contention. The wholesale society in Newcastle and Manchester had a turnover for the quarter ending December 24 last of three and a-half millions, in spite of the throw-back caused by the strike that crippled the purchasing power of co-opera-tors in the north. The Dunston flour mills, near Newcastle, put through last year 120,000 bags of wheat products, half being 2801b bags of flour. The Glasgow Baking Society goes through between 60,000 and 70,000 sacks of flour a year — there are, of course, other mills and bakeries— and something like two millions a year go from the wholesale society to the Continent if or butter, cheese, eggs, bacon, and margarine, in addition to the greater part of the whole of the butter of Ireland. But the wholesale society does not yet do nearly the whole of the co-operative wholesale trade, but its advantages to the retail co-operatives are being steadily recognised. Now, supposing that New Zealand exported even 50 brands of butter and cheese varying each in quality but keeping fairly even in that respect, I do not think that the wholesale society, providing regular supplies were forthcoming, woi'ld have any difficulty in placing the whole among its retail societies, and once a brand became known in a district, it would always be in demand. And the same with frozen mutton, with an additional advantage. Through the co-opera-tives, it would be sold for what it is — New Zealand frozen mutton. There would be no deception, for the wholesale sets itself strongly against buying or selling under false pretences. Wouldn't such a course as I suggest tend to harden prices ? and wouldn't the getting rid of the middleman, by discharging direct into the wholesale warehouses, be of benefit to both sideß, more especially to us, for we would get market prices at a far less charge than at present. Then, too, the co-operative market isn't the sole one in these towns. These lines are just thrown together in a made half hour, and my conscience is a little easier, but not yet stilled, for I haven't done my duty to "Co-operator" from Purakanui. But what has become of the projected Porb Chalmers Distributive Co-operative ? •

And now I'll end with a few disconnected scraps .culled from the March number of the Co-operative News, commencing with rather an extended one from a speech given by Britain's Prime Minister, Lord Rosebery, when president of the wholesale co-operative a year or so ago. I quote it because of its value, coming from a man of admittedly sound judgment and common sense I append the other extracts because I feel that each of them will be read with interest by more than one reader familiar with the place, person, or fact mentioned.

I may Bay here that I have a set of model cooperative rules, with the special rules applicable to two or three of the Irish co-operative dairy factories that have sprung up under the wing of the wholesale society with its headquarters in Manchester. If any bonafide promoters of true co-operatives wish for a loan of them I am quite willing to post them, only asking that care be taken of them, that they are not handed around irresponsibly, that they are returned within, say, a week, and that registered postage be paid both ways. And I must also acknowledge here my indebtedness to Mr G. J. Holyoak the veteran co-operator at Home, for the amount of trouble he put himself to to get them for me, and also for his extreme kindness in giving and getting me information.— I am, &c, Pater,

BOSEI3ERT ON CO-OPERATION. In his presidential address delivered to the Co-operative Congress at Glasgow a year or so ago, Lord Rosebery aptly defined the cooperative movement as a State within a State, and justified this defininition from the amount of capital involved and the great principle of union of interests underlying co-operation, and, oontinuing, said:— "Your progress cannot be resisted except by mismanagement and disunion. It is your survival of mistakes and errors that makes me believe in the greatness and permanence of co-opera-tion. How is this great movement to affect the country? , . . Sincere experiment a for the improvement of our race now meet with favour, and that has been achieved by your movement. You must push on. ... a great amount of capital is pushing you behind, and you will have to find employment for it sooner or later. [.This in reference to the accumulated reserves lying unremunerative. — Pater ] In addition to these economic advantages, you are actingas moral missionaries of thrift, temperance, and independence. Your £40,000,000 of profit have gone into the pockets of the working classes. ... The State owes you thanks for this and for training up temperate, thrifty, independent, and self-governing citizens. Co-operators do not go whining to Government for assistance; they only ask for the removal of restrictive laws to be allowed to work out their own salvation. Never was selfgovernment needed more than now. Formerly local government was administered by freely elected bodies, which require the services and co-operation of every citizen. In this way your movement can only do good. You know something of popular economic management. . . . I should like to see the British Empire placed upon a co-operative basis. This movement might be indefinitely expanded, with the largest possible benefit, especially in building houses, in insurance, and in land cultivation. Before you can arrive at land nationalisation you must have successfully realised land co-operation [Doesn't this especially apply to New Zealand P—Patjbr.] You import enormous quantities of agricultural produce from Germany, France, Denmark, and the United States. You are the largest buyers of Irish butter. ... I think you might embark in co-operative farming [Some of the societies now have farms and supply their own milk, &c, and meat. — Pater.] With some hope of success. ... If in addition to your success in distribution you were able to reckon victories in the three directions of house building, insurance, and land cultivation [All are now undertaken.— Pater.] your movement would be the triumph of the age. . .' . With the faith that is within you you have moved mountains, and you shall again. Walk cautiously so as not to endanger what you have already achieved; above all, move unitedly, for union, which to all causes is strength, is to yours existence itself." NOTES FltOM THE MARCH NUMBER OF TUB CO-OPERATIVE NEWS. The Labour Gazette (London) states that there were 638 trade disputes in 1893, involving 602,668 employees ; that more or leas particulars were forthcoming in 625 ; that 229 were successful, 110 partially, and 186 wholly unsuccessful. The coal strike involved 422,000, the shipping dispute at Hull 10,000, the Lancashire cotton dispute 140,000. On March 3 a memorial tablet to the late Edward Vansittart Neale was unveiled in St. Paul's, the dean preaching from the text " Bear ye one another's burden?, and so fulfil the law of Christ," and stating that no text more fitly described the life of him they had met to do honour to. The co-operatives contributed over £15,000 to the sufferers by the cotton and coal strike, and hold £50,000 worth of shares in the Manchester Canal. The United Baking Society, Glasgow, uses nearly 1400 bags of flour (2801b) a week, employs 354, has been distribuing to strike sufferers over 400 loaves a week, sold 4^ tons of shortbread and 32£ tons of cake at the New Year, pays (by the last balance) Is 6d in the pound bonus, and gives the same bonus to wages. | The Rochdale Pioneers, with its £28 supplied by 28 members, has grown into 1700 societies with a share capital of £15,000,000. The last suryivor of the 28, Mr John Bent, died last March ; aged 78. The Scottish co-operatives are spending £5500 in seaside homes for invalid cooperators. The Wholesale Society is now sending out yearly about 3500 tonß of tea, 7000 tons of biscuits and sweets, 700,000 tons of sugar, 600 tons of coffee, about half a million pairs of boots, a shipload of currants, &c. Plymouth has just opened its new co-opera-tive buildings, costing £60,000. Two thousand five hundred sat down to tea, but if the accommodation had not been limited 7000 would have been seated. In many towns women's guilds in connection with the societies are very strong, and all subjects dealing with the household are dealt with by members and classes conducted by professionals. * Music enters largely into most of the meetings.

One hundred and fifty shear-grinders and finishers have " come out" in Sheffield, and are starting a co-operative sheep-shears works. As most of the shears they were engaged in the manufacture of were used in Australasia, they intend to ask our shearers to use co-operative goods.

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