ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1236, 3 April 1880, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

WHY SHOULD NOT OUR FARMERS BE EXPORTERS ? No. 2. TO THE EDITOR OF THE OAMAKTf MAIL. Sir, —That the farmers in this district are neither supine, apathetic, or deficient in knowledge is fully evidenced by the mass of correspondence sent in by them to me on the important subject broached in my previous letter. To those irien some apology is due for not having acknowledged their numerous letters era this. To one and all I now explain that, as the bulk of the questions asked have reference to the very matters of. detail which will have to be discussed and decided by them as a body, their letters, without exception, had to remain unanswered. They will thus see that it is not through any neglect that they have not received the information asked for, more especially when they are reminded that my object in writing on the subject of a Farmers' Co-operative Grain Exporting Company was not so much to become prominent in forming the Company as it was to call attention publicly to the urgent necessity for so doing. Whilst naturally gratified at the interest evoked by my letter, I disclaim any desire to become a a leader, as the gist of my remarks has disclosed. The movement, to be successful, must be the combined action of men, who, having a common end in view, take every step after due consideration, and who, by the exercise of their best judgment, leave nothing undone to deserve and ensure success. It is perhaps out of place in this letter to give a history of Co-operative Societies, or to attempt. to further proye tho thorough soundness of the principle of co-operation, as every large and prosperous business is simply a Co-opSrativa Society. Our banks, companies, associations, benefit societies, churches, and our very governing bodies, whether legislative or municipal, are founded and worked on the co-operative principle ; our very civilisation is actually the outcome of cooperation, and there is no known instanoa of a Co-operative Society, founded for a legitimate purpose, and governed by a strict adherence to the well-known laws of oommerce, viz., buying in the first market and selling in the last market, which has not had a thoroughly successful career.

i Look at the success of the Hull Anti- ; Mill Industrial Society, which was founded i by the "poor inhabitants" of Hull; tho s Co-operative Corn Mill Societies of Leeds, > of Rochdale, and of Qver-Darwen. At i Northampton a most successful Co-opera- ; tive Society exists for the purpose of buying and selling leather, and manufacturing boots and shoes ; and in Lrnoasliire, Co-operative Cotton Mills have had uninterrupted success. i John Stuarc Mili says that " almost all i the advantages which man possesses over I the inferior animals arise from acting in 3 combination with his fellow men, and of b accomplishing, by the united efforts of 1 numbers, what could not be accomplished r by the detached efforts of individuals." 2 Samuel Smiles says that " the secret o| ' social development, is to be found in qo-s r operation." Our farmers will thus plainly - see that the course which they "Wt - follow in order to be successful is to com-> L bine, not for the purpose of raising the , price of their produce, but for the pur-, i pose of securing the sale of their produce s in the last, and consequently best, ' market. • The old saying that " Providence helpa i those who help themselves," ia 8Q true, I and so generally recognised, that none • save idiots can cavil at it, and yet the ap- ' plication of this truism is so frequently i neglected, or only so partially applied, as i to appear, in many pursuits, to be looked ; upon as being not applicable, and this s hitherto has been the case with our farmers. Mankind has * only one -lifetime in this world, and life is unfortunately so i short that none can afford to lose time or i opportunity. It is only when we aro young and vigorous that we oan expeat i to make the best of our golden hours, and reap such a return for our labor that when the time comes that we oan work no longer we are at least above the necessity of so doing. Are our farmers doing this ? Are they securing for their heavy labor and anxious hours the full reward that they are entitled to] Da they not, by selling their grain in the way they do, lose what to them would make the differ-, ence between a bare subsistence and an aotual profit 1 It is apparent that they do not realise the utmost profit that they should. It is clearly in their, power to secure to themselves the actual profit mado out of their produce, and yet year by yeap they go on neglecting the proverb " Thsvt Providence helps those who help them-> selves." Why they should longer oontinua so to do is inexplicable, unless they be* lieve more in the fatally-mistaken saying that " What is everybody's business is nobody's business." Surely there cannot exist any disturbing element which would prevent the formation of a farmer's cooperative grain exporting company. I certainly know of none. The bulk of our farmers, from the very nature of their avocation, are sturdy, intelligent, hardworking men, quite as capable of understanding and dealing with any practioablo subject as any other body of men in the world, and yet year by yea,r they have been going on selling in tho nearest market, though they knew full well it was not the best market. I now suggest that such of our farmers as desire to seo thisquestion properly discussedshouldsend in their names and addresses to me, at your office, when I shall call a meeting in Oamaru, by ciroular ard otherwise, When gathered together, the farmers oan appoint a chairman, and a! once discuss, first the necessity for, and then the method of working out this important subject, ! In a multitude of counsel there is wisdom, so that without any doubt a ready solution of all difficulties will be arrived at, and the farmers of Oamaru, happily united for their common weal, will at onqe take their stand, as a body of man who spare no legitimate means to secure the highest returns for their labor. As the prosperity of our port and city depends entirely on the prosperity of our farmers, they will

find that every right-minded ci fcwheir rejoice to see them combining. !""l common good, and from on© and » hearty good wishes will attend the I °™f" tion of a Farmers' Co-operative , Exporting Company, -whose sue A career must bencßcisdly influenc . future prospects of the port, citj > * district. —I am, &c., A Fabx *•

It is important that the farmers o * f ac £ district should be made aware of th a pted that there is no colonial coal so well-ad |^ c y to the parposes for which \hey require r fuel as that of Shag Point. It is cle. ,ther cheaper, and more economical than any o coal, either foreign or colonial, for thresl machines and their kindred purposes. this fact those who have used it bear most satisfactory of all testimonies tl - will now barn no other. It is delivered Oamarn by the track load at 18a 6d per tc Orders may he sent to any coal dealer Oamarn or to the pit, whence it will be sei . promptly and direct to any siding.—-[Ad vt. v £1 Free Gifts t The proprietors of vVoiJEi Aromatic Schiedam Schnapps, to induce the destruction and prevent the improper nse of their wrappers and labels, and thus further protect the public against fraud ana deception, have inclosed in the wrappers, or under the label on the quart bottles, since Ist October, 1878, and continue to inclose in every day's packing thronahout the year. Three £1 Orders, which are drawn npon the undersigned, and which will be cashed by their agents. To secure these gitt3, the public must he careful to ask for, and accept nothing but the Genome Udolpho "Wolfe's Schnapps, with onr name upon the top label. M. Moss and Co., Wynyard-lane, Sydney ; Dalgety and Co., agents, Duncdm. Those of the public who are appreciative of effecting economy in times when prudence demands it, should take advantage of the opportunity which will be afforded to , them for another wfiek only, and visit Messrs. E. C. Hutton and Co.'s Drapery Establishment, Thames-street. There real bargains are to be secured amongst articles of everyday requirements There is no sham about this Sale of General Drapery and Clothing. The large and varied stock must be considerably reduced by Monday next, the day upon which the establishment must be closed.— lAdvt.]