FARMERS' COOPERATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1970, 15 October 1888, Page 3

FARMERS' COOPERATION.

In view of the proposal to form m A shburton a Farmers' Co-opuratiye Society, affiliated to the Association at Christ church a few particulars with respect to the latter, will doubtless be acceptable to thope of our readers who take nn interest m the project. There are taken from the annual circular issued on the 23rd July last, from which we learn that, the Association was rogislered m 1881 by 7 shareholders holding 141 shares. In 1882 the number of shareholders had increased to 800, representing 3511 shares, and since then tho progress mado has been steady and rapid, tho figures being as follows :— IBB3, shareholders 1076, shares held 5217 ; 1884, shareholders 1212, shares held 5610 ; 1885, shareholders 1278, shares held 6770 ; 1886, shareholders 1820, shares hold 6066 ; July 81, 1887, shareholders 1558, shares held 10,500. The percentages of profit on merchandise sold over a period of six years range from 9^ to 11 per cent, and m 1887 and 1888 bonuses of 2£ and 3 per cent respectively were returned, whilo 7 per cent interest has been paid upon shareholders, capital. The item " bad debts " for the past year was represented by the insignificant sum of £10. The operations of the Association we find, extend over a very wide field including the making of advances upon j crops and wool, tbo shipping of wool to I ondon, the holding of auction sales of skins and tallow, tho shipment and sale of grain, frozen meat and dairy produce, and tbe importation of seeds, sacks, wool baleß and general merchandise. As regards frozen meat it is claimed that " the efforts made by tho London office of tho Association to introduce Now Zealand meat into the principal towns of Great Britain have been remarkably successful," and that the v returns of meat shipped through the have been eminently satisfactory." The total commission and brokerage charged is 8£ per cent. In this direction, viz., that of the shipment of produce lies, wo consider, the true and legitimate scope of the Association, and it would, we think, bo better for all parties if the sale of groceries, stationery, earthenware, glassware, perfumery, bushwaro, medicines, etc, formed no part of its business. For if all articles of common consumption are to be purchased by consumers direct from Home, there would be no room for tradesmen and their employees, and the farmers would mffer by reducing the number of local consumers of farm produce. Co-operation is vory well when carried out on proper lines, but there is also need to observe the axiom/ Livo and let live."