Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1884. TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume VIII, Issue 125, 4 November 1884, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1884. TOWN AND COUNTRY.

[Cbantiunicalcd.'J We see failures m towns iti all parts of the Colony. Men of business set themselves up, trusting for success m the patronage of consumers.; Sometimes, their hopes are realised, and very often they are riot Frequently when their trade is satisfactorily developing others open up m opposition ; tp, them, and try to secure a share of their success. The results are known so well as not to require repeating; Profits .are cut down. .Each sees that in -reducing his charges lies his greatest chance of securing the patroiiage of independent customers; The consequences follow sooner or later. The articles that are sold are not so good as they Should be, having been bought m the cheapest wholesale market, and the consumers are not ..weU supplied. This- is with reference to the vendors of articles, of consumption and general merchandise. In business lines the best professional men will perhaps refuse to reduce fees for professional services, and those who do so are probably not bo competent to carry them out as the others, and although much business may be secured, it is likely to be done m an inefficient manner. Then, looking 'at the country we notice farmers m to© many localities scraping their way' along through many of the most adverse of circumstances. Articles they require are either dear to buy or, if bought cheap, inferior it^ii* to do business ; and, not appreciating the most able men, or ncjt being able to draw a distinction between them and those who are incompetent, are as often as not most disgracefully served, mulcted m ruinous costs and charges. Thus there exists a breach between the town and country, which, until it is greatly lessened or entirely removed must keep back from advancement and prosperity the interests of both. There are two ways m which this unfortunate breach can be remedied. The first is by farmers dealing with none but the very best of suppliers and middlemen, with whom to purchase their requirements and dispose of their produce; the second by establishing branches m towns* for theinselvsß by means of which all their necessaries at least may be obtained at reasonable prices for good articles, and their produce [disposed of m the ' best markets and ft)' the best possible advantage to The former would be 'by far the most desirable; but unfortunately the latter becomes sometimes necessary. An establishment .o£ this kind would be co-operative •m principle, ' its ' aim being, 'as !we have stated, the supply by; the farmers, to themselves, of all the necessaries' of life, and the disposal by them of all their own products. Thorough management would be absolutely necessary jto ensure success, but that success could, certainly, be attained. The establishment of such co-operative 'establishments would mean the inevitable destruction of a variety and •number of middle-men, it is true ; ;but the question arises whether this F wrtuldbe a very great loss or drawthe country. If all wealth; Excepting created wealth, is . unprbfitajMe, and if created wealth', is' only derivable from land, as politicians very certainly maintain, then the joss of this class from Out towns 'would 'be not only ,no ultimatedrawback whatever, but, on the contrary, a positive gain. The question is what are these people to do, ; their occupation is thus' snatched from them. They certainly! redistribute a portion, at least of their earnings amongst ; the workers of the land, by consuming various articles which can only be produced by the latter. Perhaps it ' would compel a greater number of the Imputation to put their money into ahdj for middle-men cannot successfully embark m business enterprises without capital, and . often; possess as much or more than the farmer's for whom they worki Whether this would happen, or whether ;- : ;the results^ would be the brjnging of many who had no prir vafce means to a state pf penury, is a point that must be considered by a different light than that m which the fatming class woulfl be expected to look at the question. Buf for the farmers it seems, plain that 4

well directed system of co-operation would be a most j udicious undertaking, and, as we are surrounded by a large number of the farming community, we shall hope to enter more fully into that subject m a future issue.