EXTENSION OF CO-OPERATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 165, 29 November 1912, Page 5

EXTENSION OF CO-OPERA-TION.

A CHANCE FOR THE FARMERS,

(By Mr. J. B. Simpson)

The meeting held at Hawera on Saturday last was well attended by farmers from various parts of the district, and the conveners (Air. G. W. Buckeridge and others) must be gratified at the growing interest that is being shown in connection with the advance of true co-opera-tion amongst the farming community. The circular which accompanied the "News" a few days previous to the meeting set forth the intentions of the proposed combination, so surely farmers, when they get their thinking caps on, cannot help imt see that at last they have the opportunity of applying the latest modern business methods to the purchase of their requirements, ete. Past experience in co-operative stores is no criterion to work on as to the probable success of this later, venture, and if they will but be true to themselves (and certain croakers in the province cast the slur at the farmer that it is impossible for him to he loyal) there is no forecasting as to what the present movement will lead to in regard to the betterment of the condition of living of every soul in the district, by initiating local works to manipulate the produce of the farmer into marketable goods in their district instead of sending the raw stuffs to.the larger centres to be manufactured. Such is wrong, because by doing as is at present done other parts advance at the expense of the farmer, and the advancement of the district is hindered. In applying the Argument to the establishment of soap and candle manufacture, their own tallow can be used. A co-operative-owned tannery should be able to work up the hides produced in the district and also the further manufacture into boots, etc., should surely follow. Then there is the production of manures, calf foods, binder twine, ropes, etc. In fact, there are many lines which the farmers in co-oper-ation can tackle if they will but pull together. Credit banking, auctioneering, etc., the dealing in land and so on all come under the same beading. It's no use the scoffer throwing pepper into the eyes of the man on the land. I Relieve he has awakened at last to the possibilities of what he can do in nni«on with his fellows. Other parts of the world give instances of what has been done successfully and also the history of those concerns show the uphill struggle at the beginning. It makes the success all the more marked to win top place against the Bneers of the doubter, does it not? There is no gainsaying the fact that the successful issue of'the present movement will cause a recasting of the economic conditions of Taranaki within a few years, and, later, taken further afield by a federation with similar concerns in other parts of the Dominion, the farming community will hold such a lever that the question of high-priced commodities that they need will be entirely settled. The first dairy companies inaugurated' in Taranaki were started in fear and trembling. All sorts of prophecies as to ruin, etc., met those strong enough to hang to the idea, but the success attained lias been proverbial. Why has cooperation stood still with dairy companies? Do the directors of the various dairy companies think the limit has been reached? If farmers connected with the bacon industry would but consolidate into one big concern, with headquarters at the port,"the bacon business would be fixed to its finality. Why will they not see that and set about the matter? We now see a small concern here and another there, each lugging its own little way, continually hampered through smallness of working capital. This-is of no benefit to themselves, the community or the country, and the big private companies get in the middle and keep the jig going, for they know that by the farming community combining as mentioned there will be no room for the private company,and if we could do without them whv should we not tackle the matter? I have on different occasions through your columns tried to awaken interest amongst the farmers as to true co-oper-ation. The people are asking all round the district for the establishment of bulk stores, and in several instances the matter is held in abeyance pending the result of Saturday's meeting, but it augurs well for the big proposal that suppliers to different factories ave interesting themselves as to the procuring of supplies co-operatively. It is as certain as we live that the future of the people of Taranaki—aye, the Dominion—depends on how the.y respond to co-operation. AVorking together they will achieve the Irish national ideal: '''Better business, better farming, better living." Working separately, they cannot improve beyond the present conditions, and that they do not relish the latter stage is evidenced by the appeal everywhere, and gradually getting stronger, for the establi»hing of bulk

stores. No wonder Mr. liuckeridge and the others interested think the time opportune for promoting the big company under way of formation. There is HO vronder the idea was extended to meet the whole province's requirements, and it. is up to the farmers to get at it wholeheartedly, and if individual settlew will not support the movement because they in the past have suffered through undercapitalised ' co-operative concerns, it shows they have not made themselvei conversant with the modem improvements in co-operation that did not obtain when those in which they were interested were formed. There is not the slightest doubt that disloyalty to their own concern was another big factor in the smashing of the old co-operative stores.

The gigantic co-opera tiv<- movement in England and the network of industrial enterprises controlled bv the Co-opera-tive Wholesale Society, figures of which were given by Mr. Buckeridge, and which constitute an eye-opener a.« to what combination can do, shows what can be done through voluntary co-operation to eliminate disputes between capital and labor. Then, again, the movement among the big men as to profit-sharing with their employees, and there is no doybt that it is to that system, and also the co-partnership of labor and cooperative enterprise that we must look if we want to find a nutiornl solution of the constant labor upheavals. It seems strange that people cannot grasp the fact of their independence, for the cooperative country will leave, the individual free, and by that miuuis it substitutes voluntary communism of effort for the communism of property. I really think that as the co-operative movement is better understood wise and thoughtful people will foster the idea as the Social ideal to be worked for, and that before long those who are, held in lethargy because of past failures will put their influence in the movement to further strengthen and develop it. During the II aw era, meeting the question was asked as to the possible headquarters of the association, and it was practically unanimous that. New Plymouth, with its advantages of accommodating Home boats, was the only place, and in conjunction with the round-the-mountain railway (whieii evidently, amongst those present, wax regarded as a foregone conclusion) there is not the slightest doubt but that t,lie whole of Taranaki must benefit by the formation of the proposed concern. That the farmers must benefit by working up their own products cannot be disputed, and that those prodncts can li" so' worked cannot be denied. Others are doing it, so can we. Another meeting is to he, held at Stratford on Saturday, and it behoves all who possibly can attend to roll up. Maketawa, 25/11/12.