CO-OPERATION OF AGRICULTURISTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 858, 2 July 1910, Page 8

CO-OPERATION OF AGRICULTURISTS.

DISTRIBUTIVE SOCIETIES. Co-operative distribution .as applied to' agriculture has made great, progress in >*ew Zealand, and is now coming to the :'orc iii England more than has been tho case' ill the past. The distributive societies are usually formed l'or the collective purchase and distribution of seeds, manures, implements, etc., 'required by the members and for the sale in the markets of the cattle, eggs, poultry, and other .products of the industry of. tho members in their capacity of individual farmers. According to the rulc-s tho profits are distributed among the members pro rata upon the, value of the goods purchased from and sold to the society, but in practice are frequently added to tho reserve fund.

Besides the distributive societies there are many productive associations and about seventy industrial, societies, with agricultural departments. The Labour Department returns relating to the three groups show that there are GOO co-opera-tive societies formed specially for agricultural production and distribution, with an aggregate membership of 80,000, a total share capital of *£201,3f;7,' loan capital amounting to .£199,817, reserve and insurance funds amounting to .£145,119, and sales (hiring the year totalling .£3.222,013. A total profit of ,£33,958, including interest on shares, was shown.