DAY BY DAY.

Waikato Times, Volume 93, Issue 14521, 19 November 1920, Page 4

DAY BY DAY.

"Co-operators throughout the country, - ' writes a correspondent Evil Effect of the Financial Times, of "are much perturbed Agitators. at the stale of things

now obtaining in Hi :ir societies owins to the persistant efforts of Labour extremists to grab the reins of administration ami turn peaceable (railing bodies into political storm centres. One tiling that has alarmed ihe members more than anything is the announcement that the Co-operative Wholesale Society, an organisation which lias always been able hitherto to work at a good profit, has made a loss curing Ihe past half-year of over £132,000. Coupled with the announcement of the C.W.S. some lime ago that their colliery at Shilbottlc, in Northumberland, had incurred a half-year's less of £11,848, (lie above announcement lias been far from pleasant reading, and members are beginning to ask what it all means. \\ prominent co-operative official, discussing the situation, said that Labour, working insidiously to upset C.W.S. plans, is largely responsible for the retrograde move, and :s making it increasingly difficult for the genuine industrial co-operator to carry en. 'We all know,' he said, 'that wages have largely increased, as well as the costs of materials and management, but these handicaps arc common to all conC'Tiis. What is more disturbing than all is that we cannot get the work we ought to out or our employees. The various G.W.B. works are getting so permeated with the Socialist element and its ca' canny methods that 1 venture to say that we. are not getting more than 7T> per cent, of our former output from those who are being paid increased wages. This lias been proved to be the case at our colliery in Northumberland, and it is proving to be the case (dso at our works in different parts of the country. The numerous strikes we are having nowadays show how the wind is blowing. We used to he on the best of terms in our works, hut now we are never free of disputes owing to the violent propaganda which a few extremists are always carrying on. The talk of political union with Labour has done untold harm. We want to be quiet tc get on with our work, but these people will not let us. They are doing harm out of all proportion to their numbers. Starting with the distributing societies* they are now infecting the productive societies as well, and if something is not done qoickly, we shall have serious consequences to cont nd with.' "