The Waikato Time AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, SEPT. 18, 1888.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2526, 18 September 1888, Page 2

The Waikato Time AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, SEPT. 18, 1888.

Co-operation is the watchword of the present age. It is to be the great lever by which the political and industrial worlds will be lifted into the regions of rest and contentment, as near perfection as it is possible for human systems to attain. In the political world the minds of leaders of thought are aiming at confederation amongst the scattered members of kindred races. By combination or co-operation, which are synonymous terms, the forces, aspirations and strength of a wide and mighty empire are to be united into one majestic whole for mutual conservation and progress. In the industrial world many of the important branchos in which the labour and ingenuity of busy men are engaged id providing for the wants and necessities of man, the identical spirit of unity and combination is displayed in order to effect an equalisation of the fruits of industry and enterprise between workers and capitalists. The movement is making itself felt beyond the ranks of mechanics, artisans and manufacturers; it has to be grasped with a similar will by cultivators of the soil, as between producers and consumers, sellers aad buyers. We

can never grow weary of instilling til;; doctrines of tlio evangel of co-operation into the minds untl iinderstawlings of tin; people, for in it lies unlimited powers for good and the advancement of social ami national progress. Some timo ago we roferr"cl, !iy way of examplo, to one of the most gigantic co-opera-

tive movements of modern times, the Great- Combine of the Ui i.ed States. This was a combination amongst theagriculturists of \ merica against the numerous class o? middlemen who stood between them and the consumers, and appropriated to themselves the bulk of the protits obtained in the markets. From a small beginning, and endowed

with determined energy and perseverance, this remarkable association has grown to its present widespread proportions with ramifications in most of the states of the Union. It has emancipated farmers from the tyranny of selfish intermediary interests; it has shaken oft" the shackles of speculators and rings, and has made producers masters of the situation as regards fair and just prices for their products. After the last harvest, when our farmers awoke to the disagreeable delusion that they would realise prices for their wheat which were considerably below . what they had been clearly led to expect, they were advised to profit by the unpleasant experience and combine together to place their grain in more remunerative markets, or to store it till such times as the markets at Home and in the Australian colonies rose. There was a strong inclination manifested at the time to act on that advice, but no further steps were taken. How fine an opportunity was lost, a study of the present state of the English and Australian corn tiade will demonstrate. We were told, however, that farmers are too firmly held in bondage to act with any such freedom for themselves, and that being 30, combination or co-operation can only be to them a beautiful theory always beyond their grasp. They appear to be doomed to sutler the tortures of Tantalus. What has been said in connection with grain can be applied in equal measure to other staple products. For instance, cattle and the price of meat. The conditions of the latter trade are not favourable to the raisers or producers, and in this, as in all other great walks of industry, the natural remedy lies in cooperation. If our readers will refer back to a former number of The Waikato Times, they will find a reference to the rules adopted by a co-operative butchering syndicate in France, formed amongst farmers for the sale of dead meat direct to consumers. The principle contained in them wou'd be worthy of imitation in the Waikato where the/ difficulties that accompany successful and profitable operations in live and dead stock are very great, and which, together with the heavy freights and mismanagement of the railway department, will eventually force stockoivners to seek measures for their own protection. Here also we are confronted with the assertions that fanners are too encumbered to act with the freedom of independent men. l'erhaps no better illustration of this statement could be pointed to than the absence of any response to the very advantageous offer recently made by the Freezing Company to arrange for a shipment of meat to England, provided a given quantity of carcases was guaranteed. Were this not the case the extraordinary apathy of the fanners of these distiicts would long ere now have been aroused, and they would have stirred themselves to conserve their best interests on some combined plan, For the want of this spirit we are being continually told that the Waikato is about the most backward agricultural district in the colony, and cou» sequently one of the most depressed. We efirnest'y wish to see the farmers as a class taking a deep and active interest in their great and important industries. Co-operation is necessary for reaping the best possible returns from, and promoting the development of, cereal cultivation, the stock and meat trade, the dairy and other kindred pursuits. We can see what others are doing for themselves in other active nations and colonies; nay, even in more spirited portions of New Zealand. The burden of mortgages and other difficulties are 110 doubt heavy, but the individual oppressiveness of them would be greatly lessened, if not relieved, by a concentration of action for mutual aid and advantage. Strength lies in unity, and the union would be found so strong that as with the Great Combine in America, the members could dictate terms an.l practically shake themselves clear of the drawbacks which beset them.