HAWERA FARMERS COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17122, 25 October 1917, Page 7

HAWERA FARMERS COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION.

PROPOSED LOCAL BRANCH

A meeting of farmers was held yesterday, at which Mr. W. Morrison presided. k delegation from the Hawera Farmers' Co-operative Association attended and iaid before those assembled ideas for opening a branch in the Wanganui district. la his opening remarks the chairman said it had been intended to have representatives from the Wellington Distributing Company at the meeting also, but they had no: attended. He was of the opinion that they should all pull together, without a spiTit oi antagonism. If, however, some mutual arrangements could be come to by which one company only would bs heie he would be pleased to see the Hawera Co-op, come. This company would, make ::aleyards here, build a store, and perhaps make Wanganui their shipping port. Thero was a question about harbour rates, but he was sure if the company commenced operations here rtiere would be no harbour rate.

Mr. Dickie, one of the directors of the Hawera concern, said already his company's turnover in the Wan, ganui district for last year had amounted to £50,000. They had always thought of Wanganui as a part of their district, and the intention was to make it the southern sphere of their operations. The Wellington Distributing Company could object if they liked, but he held that in a case like this the provincial boundary should not cooim. To start here the company would expect the farmers to put up their capital and do their own business. The Hawera Farmers' Co-op, had the staff to carry on the work, tf the farmers united with Hawera- the Farmers' Co-op, would come to Wanganui at. once and start business. He and his fellow-directors were sorry that the Wellington representatives were not present, and speaking personally he did not think the Wellington Distributing Company should come here at all.

Mr. Buekridge, another director, was sorry that the representatives of. the Wellington Distributing Company were not present to discuss the whole matter amicably. By their absence it appeared to him thai they wanted to go in for strong competition. The Hawera Co-op, people were there to do business, and that concern did not want to lose that £50,000 worth of business, but to in«:vease it. On. the other hand, if the farmers thought they could get better service elsewhere, then the latter were entitled to have it. Touching on the matter of the rapid progress made by his firm, Mr. Buckridge said that although it was the baby co-op, it had made more rapid strides than any other co-op, in the Dominion. Referring to a chart containing figures representing the company's operations extending over a period of .iiree years, the speaker showed conclusively that the business had made exceptional progress It had been stated by the general manager of the New Zeaahid Farmers' Co-op., Mr. Buekridge said, that the Hawera Co-op, had. done iri three years that which took the Ne\> Zealand Farmers' Co-op. 29 years to do. That alone would prove that the Hawersa firm could give a very efficient service to the farmers of this district. There was not one per cent, of the "free" farmers in th* district who were not shareholder in the Hawera Co-op. He expressed the opinion that when co-operative firms commenced proprietary firms would go by the board. The latter haa served their purpose and now it was time the farmers in this district got something for themselves. He paid a high tribute to the Hawera Co-op, staff and the successful stocc business which had been made In order to make any business a success it must have sound capital He asked the farmers to give the scranu' capital and the co-op, would do the rest. Even now his firm was doing good and efficient business in this' district, but it could do better if the co-oy. was closer to Wanganui. in' conclusion, Mr. "Buekridge. again stated that the delegates had n<t come to Wanganui in an antagonistic spirit, but to help the farmers, and he was sorry the Wellington Distributing Company did not do likewise At this stage the' chairman explained that the reason the representatives of the Wellington firm did no' come to the conference was because they had claimed they had discussed the matter at a previous meeting and had come to Us conclusion that there was nothing more to discuss ■ inr. Buekridge said he" did not Know they were not coming till he was on the train to-day. The manager of the Hawera G^ op. (Mr. m. J. Lynskey), illustrating the amount of business his firm does m Northern Taranaki, said there w&« a turnover of £80,000 last year" There had also been 210 successful auctions in the year. It was probable that a bulk store would be established in Wanganui, and the company's inward shipping freights would then come through this port He had to be fair, however, and say that the bulk of their shipment" came in through Patea, and a la'-g» quantity through New Plymouth Ho reckoned that to run the business in successfully a capital of -o<>~l* W? uld be re(?uired, made u» of 2000 shares of £10 each, £5 of

which would be called up over a period of two years. Any dividends would be paid to all the shareholders in the company anywhere. Co-oper-ative saleyards would be established in Wanganui. The practice of the company was to distribute the directors as widely as possible over the areas, in which the co-op, was working.

Mr. Allan Robinson was sorry Mr. Buckridge had not come down with his proposals three or four years age: He wished to clear the air concerning the Distributing Company. The latter had already discussed the matter on two occasions. He held the opinion that the latter company could not be stopped from operating in this district unless the two companies amalgamated and divided the profits. If Hawera is doing so well and Wellington is doing well, then why could not Wanganui branch out on its own? This was the fflth tow:n in New Zealand, and there had been 4 6,000 bales of wool exported from the port last year, and there was only one other port that could beat, that record. It was news to him that Hawera had done £50,000 worth of business here. Not that he doubted it, but he did not. know what the Wellington Distributing CompSny had done. 'He did not know what good could be done to-day save that it had been pointed out that the only thing for the farmers to do was to co-operate. The Wellington Distributing Company had started business and had been buying wool In various districts, and later on they would be able to offer the same facilities to farmers as the Hawera Ccop. "If Wanganui is so good, and Hawera and Wellington are both after the trade, then it should be good enough to start on our own," Mr. Robinson said in conclusion.

Mr. E. Campbell was of the same opinion that Wanganui should start on its own.

Mr. C. h. Duigan thought there was a greater community of interest for Hawera than Wellington. The latter place seemed to want everything. He expressed the opinion that it would pay Hawera to use Wanganui's harbour, if the Ha* wera Co-op, wanted to set up business here, then let them canvas the district, and, if capital was forthcoming, then start the business. If there was no capital \o be had, then he thought there would be no business.

Mr. W. Bruce was of the same opinion as the last speaker. Ha held that, the districts up and djwn the coast were treated better by the port of Wanganui than any other. He suggested that as nothing further could be done at present, save discussing the proposals submitted bythe delegation, the meeting shou'a adjourn till one of the show days next, month, when the question could again be generally discussed by all the farmers in the district who were interested.

Several speakers agreed that Mr. Duigan had "hit the' nail on the head," and the chairman agreeing with this, the meeting closed.