CO-OPERATION OR SOCIALISM?

Waikato Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1190, 3 August 1912, Page 6

CO-OPERATION OR SOCIALISM?

To the Editor

Sir,--Concerning the statement made by Mr Swayne at the meeting of the Cambridge Co-operative Dairy Co. on Saturday last that a uniform price, paid at all their creameries, regardless of distance or supply, was true co-oper-ation, I am surprised at such a Socialistic statement coming from a farmer, and being upheld by farmers of high standing and repute, such as the Directors cf the Company are composed of. I should say the policy is one of true Socialism, and not as Mr Swayne (one of the Director?) puts it, true co-operation. Of course the farmers in the way-backs won’t object to such a policy. At the same time, moat farmers, who are reasonable, are satisfied with what they have earned phis expenses, and don’t expect those living in close proximity to the central to help pay the expenses of cartage to ard fro of the creameries further back, which in some cases are considerable. The systems of “pooling” in connection with farming is not a satisfactory one. For instance, the farmer who goes “back” a few miles, buys bis land at (say) J 512 lOs per acre, and receives (say) 11 Jd per lb for his butter would be d»ing considerably better than he who buys his faim in the front, and pays £25 per acre, and receives 12idper lb for his butter. The latter therefore should not be asked to share the inconveniences of his neighbor in the “back” on the cheaper land while he himself has paid for his conveniences. If such a policy was carried on by all butter companies it would arrest progress for those living in the back country, who might be quite satisfied to net lOd per lb for their butter. Overtures from the “back” settlers to a Company for assistance in the form of a creamery in their district would not be favoraby considered by the Directors on the grounds that it would not pay them to erect small creameries. This is exemplified by the Cambridge Company having no small creameries. —I am, etc., “COOP.”