ADVANCE IN CO-OPERATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 September 1916, Page 3

ADVANCE IN CO-OPERATION.

To the Editor ~ir —lt should be gratifying to thore who recognise v>'hat the power of co-op-eiv.tion has been to the benefit of farmers cf other countries to see the strides the principle is making in New Zealand, and the statement made at a recent meeting of Makctawq. shareholders by Mr. Grevilli-, editor of the Dairyman, "that it is universally recognised that the day of proprietary concern* has passed" should help hearten co-operators in their work of bringing the farmers of Taranaki into Oi\e solid body. Their present divided state allows them to be under the thumb of a body of individuals who they could do without and who are, practically, taking profits that, should go. to the main piouHcer. Tf farmers who enjoy the benefits of one branch of co-operation will but review the position impartially from the standpoint that progress has been made over what obtained 20 years ago—that we have benefited by the mistakes, or, I may say, the failures, of the past—and whole-heartedly throw their support into other branches at which they at present look askance the results tVtt accrue will prove the forerunnei of enormous expansion in the products fre to the land. There is a large section of farmers who, though benefiting through the co-operation of the majority, wi'l not support with their trade the cn-operative concerns in their district. I am assured the same idea permeates another large section in another part of the district. What means co-operation? Why was it originated and for whose lenefit? Then, again, there are many who, though holding shares, pass their own concern and take their goods to the other fellow! It is hard to understand so eh people, and the argument that perhaps a farthing or so more is obtained thereby is playing rather low down on the co-operators who took first risks and ly their cooperation caused fair prices to be given for the products. The cheque of to-day is the sole consideration of a large number and little thought is given the" future. True co-operators try to lciik into the future as well as possible and it is shown in almost every pioneer co-orierative venture the world over that the originators in laying the foundation received little or no benefit, but, perhaps, loft this sphere with the satisfaction that they had done something for po-.terity. Let those who hang back from supporting co-operative movements try and remember that. Let them view impartially the conditions that obtained in their tinw, that perhaps effected considerable hardships on themselves at various periods, and ask themselves are they doing justice to their offspring in not trying to effect > alterations in those conditions for the benefit of coming generaions! Then they must see that they cannot but do all in their power to strengthen the co-operative movement by nutting every ounce of their business through that'channel. There must be no half measures about it, and the farmers of to-day will have done something for the farmers of the future. It is to be hepfd that the attempt to form a cooperative casein manufacturing concern will be successful. It the commodity h as valuable as reported let the producer of milk have all there is in it, and only by to-operation will that be done. We n«ve, for the benefit of the dairying industiy co-operation in butter box making and thereby cut out proprietary profits; we have, for the same reason co(Micrative butter freezing works, and there is no earthly reason why we should not do the same with casein. We have co-operative meat freezing works for precisely the same reason, and lot farmers renumber that if ever there was a ease where they will be called upon to show that they are heart and soul with cooperation it "is tluough that channel; let them not forget that, though "it is universally recognised the day of proprietary concerns is passed" their support must go through the co-operative source \nd then they, and they alone, will have all there is in the business of p, imal production and only men on the laud know how richly they deserve it. Co-cpcratioii is the only nieans and no hail-way methods at that.—l am, etc., JOE. B. SIMPSON. Durham Road.