CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9993, 14 March 1910, Page 4

CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES.

Of late years the co operative movement in Great Britain has made rapid strides. According to a report just published by the chief registrar of Friendly Societies, co-operation, in its various pha.ses, represented an aggregate membership iD the United Kingdom in 1908 of 2,679. 805. while the total assets amounted to £58,315,484. This is an increase on the previous year of nearly two millions sterling. Ordinary societies, tnat is, those engaged principally in the purchase and sale of food, clothing and everyday necessaries, numbered 2,243. Of these 243 were wholly "productive" in their operations, 887 wholly "distributive," and 1080 both "productive" and "distributive." The remaining societies were principally newly-established and not in active operation at ths end of the twelve months. Sales of goods aggregated £110,619,570, an amount exceeding that of any previous year. It is, however, pointed out that the business of the English Co-operative Wholesale Society, the Scottish Cooperative Wholesale Society, the Irish Agricultural Society, and certain productive societies is almost entirely transacted with the distributive societies in the movement. Duplication, therefore, exists in the amount mentioned to the extent of the sales of the societies in question, amounting approximately to thirtythree millions sterling per annum. The importance of these institutious as direct employers of labour is shown by the fact that the aggregate expenditure on salaries, wage, an-i establishment charges exceeded £9,000,0u0, the sum expended under these hesds in productive departments amounting to £3,459,910, and in distributive departments to I £5,632,084. The balance on the trade of the year in 1918 societies resulted in a profit of £10,852,664, and in 211 societies in a loss amounting to £27,184. Of the profit the sum of £BB, 230 was applied to educational purposes. Stock-in-trade was valued at £11,647,017, buildings, fixtures, and laud also used in trade amounted to £15,751,668, and investments and other assets to £28,026,766. A total balance deficit of £62,631 was v shown by 260 societies. Capital due to shareholders amounted to £33,914,059. The sum due to depositors (principally members) anc to other creditors (principally loan capital and trade debts) was £16,146,042, while the, balances of profit and reserve carried forward by 1888 societies totalled £5,427,981.