Co-operatives and the Private Grocer

Chronicle (Levin), 12 February 1949, Page 3

Co-operatives and the Private Grocer

NAPIER, Feb. 11. The monopoly exercised by cooperative stores, and the method of financing these cooperatives, was viewed with grave concern at the annual conference of the New Zealand Master Grocers' Federation. . A remit adopted by the conference said the federation was not opposed to the prineiple of eooperative stores, but considered that private traders, and in particular returned servicemen, should" have the opoprtunity of opening stores in' these districts. A second remit asked the Minister of Finance to state what advanc.es had been made by the Bank of New Zealand to^ consumer cooperatives, and what security had been taken over such advances. Mr. H. R. Blott (Auckland) declared that the eooperative store at Orakei was being established with a capital of £3000, but the store and stocks would cost at least £20,000. "The building includes a grocery department that is more like a picture theatre than a shop," he said, adding that if the finance was being advanced for such ventures without proper Beeurity, then private traders, particularly returned servicemen, were entitled to similar treatment. The remit was adopted by 22 votes to 20.