The Great Lessons of Co-Operation.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 126, 31 October 1885, Page 5

The Great Lessons of CoOperation.

The representative working-men from all parts of England met at Oldh.m for the 17th; Annual Co* operative Congress. When the first of these assembles was held ie London, under the chairmanship of Mr Thomas Hugheß, QC M in 1869, the power and ex. tent of this movement were scarcely appreciated, even by its most enthusiastic supporters. In that year the whole trade of co-operative societies throughout the colonies did not exceed £7,353,363. It is now nearly four times that amount, while the two wholesale societies alone sold no less than £5,976,702., during 1884. By a happy coincidence the President of this Congreßsis Mr Lloyd Joneß, man now in his 100 th year, who has devoted half a century of his life to the physical, social, and moral advancement of the working classes, and who is an original disciple of Robert Owen. The most important and difficult consideration likely to present iteelf before the Congress is the question of what to do with the surplus capital in the hands of the great societies. The real secret of the success and force of this movement is the almost spontaneous way in which wealth has accumulated, both for the society and the individual The £28 capital with which tho Rochdale Equitable Pioneers started in 1844 had grown to £326,875 in 1883, and during the intervening 40 years each member has almost unconsciously laid up money in proportion to the amount spent by him at the Toad Lane storeß. The so called cooperation familiar to Londoners is conducted on principles essentially different from those which prevail in the North. There the current prices of the locality are charged ; but the profits are divided every quarter among the customers in proportion to amount of expenditure. Such customers being of necessity shareholders and joint proprietors of the concern, the economic results of this system are patent. At the end of the year there is a nice little nest-egg unwittingly accumulated. In this way capital hasbeen investing and allowed to growin these societies, until they are almost unable to Qud profitable occupation for it. Some jears ago a wholesale business was inaugurated which for some time absorbed the superfluity, but the Wholesale society has proved an additional source of wealth, and only the more rapidly fosters the growth of capital. It has nearly 900 customers, all of whom must be co operative societies, and who represent 433,151 members. Some idea of the acceleration of its growth may be gathered from the statement that in 1882, when a separate tea and coffee department was created, the sales were £190,022, whereas last year they had grown to £336,885, Et purchases its provisions in foreign markets, having buyersin New York, Copenhagen, Hamburgh Rouen, and no lees than five in Ireland ; while its own steamers convey the goods to English ports. Five great shoe factories have beon established as well as soap works and biscuit bakeries, but still the cry is, "Find us employment for our capital." No doubt furthi r development of distributive agency will take place, but the only real outlet is in productive indus fcry. And the moment this comes to be carried out on a large scale fresh difficulties arise. In proof of this we oeed only point to a few figures of the Wholesale society. While upon sales to the extent of £36,000,000 it has made bad Jebts to the amount of £7,154 only, it has lost no less than £00.000 by investments In shares or loans with co operative productive societies, or with working class jointstock companies. For this reason, on financial grounds, it is doubtful whether the Congress will recommend any bold experiments. But the ordinary customs of commerce have more than once beon set aside oy the innovators who have organised this *igd.ntic and benoficenr movement, and it is possible that a new ii'v* mun important i departure may date from this Congress. :