RESULTS OF THE CO-OPERATIVE SYSTEM AT HOME.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1595, 23 September 1882, Page 3

RESULTS OF THE CO-OPERA-TIVE SYSTEM AT HOME.

A Pabliamentary return lias been issued, we learn from a London paper, showing the financial position of the cooperative societies in the United Kingdom fro the year 1880. This return embraces all societies registered under the " Industrial and Provident Societies Act," and conduced upon what is generally known as the "Rochdale plan." The same process is going on with stores as with private shops ; the large stores are eating up the small ones, and establishing branches in their places. For every hundred stores which have ceased to exist during the past ten years, there have sprung up five hundred branches of other stores. This tendency grows, for it is found more economical to have thirty or fifty branches, which some stores have, than a tenth part of that number of separate stores, with their large buildings, stocks, servants, &c. These stores have their own large corn mills, wholesale purchasing societies and manufacturing societies, producing what the stores sell. The figures show that, while in IS6I there were 150 English societies, returning 48,184 members, and a capital of £333,290, doing an annual trade of £1,512,117 ; in 1870 there were 749 societies, with 249,112 members, a captial of £2,231,389, doing an annual business of £8,202,466, and realising a net profit of £355,435. Thus it is seen that the members and sales had increased five-fold in ten years, and the capital nearly doubled. From 1870 to 1880 the societies increased to 953, the members I to 526,686, and their share and deposit to £6,931,340. Thus tho members more than doubled, and the capital became threefold in these ten years ; but_ the sales and profit even grew more rapidly, for in 1880 the sales reached rather over £20,000,000 and the profit is estimated at £1, 800,000, in addition to interest on capital. During the four bad years, 1876-9, their position almost remained stationary. In Scotland they have attained great dimensions considering the population. So rapidly does the capital grow of both the Scotch and English societies, that they are obliged return it to members (who the seek shares in manufacturing and railway companies) to invest it in building societies and elsewhere. Their fiiends and supporters have great hopes from these societies, and believe they will be the means of enabling the working classes ultimately to become owners of the manufactories in which they are employed. Mr Charles Boyce notifies the inhabitants of Cambridge and surrounding districts, that he has started business as general cooper in premises adjoining Messrs Young and Nixon's, Victoria-street, \vbere_ he is prepared to execute all kinds of work in the trade at the shortest notice, and on reasonable terms. A young girl, being asked recently as she returned from the circulating library with the latest new novel if she had ever read Shakespeare, tossed her pretty head and answered : "Shakespeare ? Of course I have ; I read that when it first came out." Pattkiwon', N.J., in proportion to its size, has more one-eyed men than any other city in the United States except Pifctsburg. Nine-tenths of those afflicted are workers in iron and steel, and have been struck in the eye with the mental chippings.

For remainder of news see Supplement.