CO-OPERATION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 127, 14 July 1870, Page 6

CO-OPERATION.

We extract the following from an address delivered in the Oddfellows' Hall on Wednesday last by Mr. Hawthorn, head master of the Dunedin High School : —

He would now refer to the origin of co-operation, his remarks being now especially directed to the Rochdale Society. In the year 1844, a number of flannel weavers in Rochdale, a town of Lancashire, finding themselves in a very unhappy condition, their wages only amounting 12s or 13s a week, and in some cases to less, which was not sufficient to support their families, to say nothing of education, met together for the purpose of devising measures for improving their condition, and, after several preliminary meetings, decided to establish a co-operative store for the sale of groceries and provisions. By this means they hoped that, if they could not prevail upon their masters to increase their wages, they would, at least, be able to make their wages go farther. After several months of anxiety and effort, they started with a capital of £28 — 28 members having subscribed £1 a piece. Rochdale was rather a curious place at that period, and there were a great number of young lads, who, like many other persons, l'idiculed the movement on every possible occasion, and the first night of the store being opened, these lads, who from their occupation were called " doffers," assembled in Toad Lane, and broke open the store. (Mr. Hawthorne then read a short aocount of the affair, written by Mr. George Jacob Holyoake.) It would be tedious to go through the whole 25 or 26 years which had elapsed since the opening of the store and the present day, but it would be sufficient if he gave them a few figures showing the result of the operations of a quarter of a century. Those figures would prove that if those present made up their minds to establish a co-operative store in Dunedin, they might begin with a prospect of almost certain success, if they followed in the footsteps the Rochdale people. As. the Rochdale store was only opened on the 21st December, 1844, no business was done during the first year. In 1845 the number of members was 74, which in 1868, had increased to 6731, At the end of 1845 the paid-up capital amounted to £81 ; in 1868, to £123,233. In 1845 the amount of business done was, £710 ; in 1868, £290,900.-^(Cheers.) In 1845 the profits on sales at the shop amounted to £22 ; in 1868 to £37,459. — (Cheers.) He had taken the figures relating to one store, but he might have referred to other stores all over England which had been nearly, or quite, as successful. He had chosen the Rochdale store as being a kind of classic ground of co-operation. All co-operative societies in England looked upon Rochdale aa the parent society. In England there were, at the present time, something lik,e 1000 societies in operation, th.c majority of which, if not quite so large, had been equally as successful as that of Rochdale. During the whole period of 25 years the latter society, aa well as nine-tenths of the other societies, had conducted their operations on the principle of readymoney paymennt. This was the real secret of the success of all the societies ; and a principle which he hoped would be strenuously maintained in any society that might be established here. It was the vital principle. During the period of 26 years, about 2.t millions of money had been paid over the counter, and not one farthing of credit had been given even to the largest shareholders. The shares were £1 shares, and each member must take at least five and not more than one hundred. It was lately found that the profits had accumulated so much as to render it necessary to obtain an Act of Parliament authorising shareholders to hold 200 shares a piece, hut the power thus given had never- been used, and members were still limited to 100 shares. The accumulation of capital lately made it necessary for the Committee to call a meeting of shareholders, and as they had no use for it, they were compelled to divide over £2.0,000 amongst the shareholders. In addition to this, they had expended from the time of the store being established, a very large amount of the profits arising from the sale of goods upon education. He had made a calculation of the sums actually spent, and it appeared that for- every pound expended by- the Provincial Government of Otago on the education of the children of the province, the Rochdale Society had spent ten shillings on the education of its own members. Sufficient had been- said; to show that so far as England \vas concerned, cooperation had been signally successful.

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