NELSON FARMERS' CO-OP. ASSOCIATION, LTD.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 15041, 8 April 1919, Page 4

NELSON FARMERS' CO-OP. ASSOCIATION, LTD.

For-some little time past the farmers of this district have been putting their house in order and have acquired the business of Bisley Bros, on satisfactory! terms, and with the full and loyal sujh port of the farmers of the district should be able to build up a very good local Farmers'' Co-op. Association. In order that the general policy should be on properly defined lines, Mr A. W. Jamieson, acting manager of the N.Z. Farmers' Co-op, at Christchurch, has visited Nelson, and spent several hours with the directors in framing a policy which will be akin to that adopted by the N.Z. Farmers who are operating very extensively in other parts of North, Canterbury. it is also gratifying to [ note that the directors are accepting the kind offer made by the N.Z. Farmers to send,up their mosv expert retail manager to assist in the lay-out of the retail departments!, and to confer with the local man on matters of buying, etc. In regard to stock business, every practical assistance is going to be given to the local association by the N.Z. Farmers' branch at Blenheim, who will cooperate in this most important department; and although the local association may not be able to undertake this business in an extensive manner for some little time, it should, with the co-opera-tion of the larger institution, build up a very live organisation, very similar to that which has proved so successful in the Marlborough district. It was pointed out very emphatically by the Canterbury representative that the success of the new venture would depend to a very great extent on the management and directorate, but evea their most enthusiastic efforts could only bear fruit with the 'whole-hearted support of the farmers of the district. It has been pointed out that wherever a new branch or a new company run on co-operative lines has been established,, every concentrated effort by competitors has been made to keep the farmers from supporting their own institution, even to the extent of cutting prices. However, the farmers-have only to look to the future and then decide as to whether m the long run their interests are likely, to be better "served by their own organisation than is possible to achieve through dividing their trade amongst others.

No doubt .rumours have been freely circulated throughout the district predicting disaster for the new association before it has actually started business, i Farmers should not be alarmed toy such tactics, which are not confined only to the Nelson district, but are adopted' throughout the length and breadth of the Dominion, that is, where co-opera-tive societies have been established. The Nelson farmers are just as capable of establishing their own assoeatioa as any other sroup of farmers in the Dominion, and/if they support loyally their own institution there can be only one result to their efforts, and that fs success.-

The local association has made application for membership to the N Z Wholesale Fanners' Co-operative Federation, in order that they may participate in-the benefits of group buying, and Mr Jamieson, after his investigations, has given the local directors fo understand that his report, which will be. submitted at the next executive to be haid. at. Wellington, will support their application for membership. It is also stated that from time to time visits will be paid to the Nelson district by a responsible officer connected with* the N.Z.Farmers in order to tender advice, and endeavour to assist'the local directorate and management in establishing the business.*