The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, of whatsoever state of persuasìon, religious or political. MONDAY, AUGUST 18,1891

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2979, 18 August 1891, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, of whatsoever state of persuasìon, religious or political. MONDAY, AUGUST 18,1891

Fon a long time thoughtful men have considered that the business combination, so to speak, of cooperation associations with trade and labour unions would lead to immediate and at the same time lasting benefits to both. Wo have before to-day pointed out that while the faces of unionists wore always steadily turnod towards the acquisition of higher wages, the other, and equally important side of the question, namely the procuring of of better and cheaper supplios of food and clothing were seemingly overlooked. This want of unity between the two great branches of workers is not confined to the colonio3. It is being noted and discussed by the heads of the groat industrial and co-operative societies of the Old Country. Tho following remarks delivered by Mr A. 11. Duke-Ackland, M.P., at the twentythird annual congress of the cooiierativo societies of tho United Kingdom held at Lincoln, England, in May last, are very interesting and suggestive, showing not only the immense strides co-operation has made, but also tho direction in which its progress is likely to be guided in future. After detailing the advancos made during the last twenty-live vears or the co-operative movement, Mr Duke-Ackland said: "A usual comment was that while co-operation soemod to have done pretty well in shop-keeping, almost nothing had been done in production or manufacturing work. The implication generally seemed to be that if it could be shown that cooperative production had not been a succoss, tho rest of tho work of the co-operators was not worth much attention. Such an inference was a complete misconception of tho importance of the movement. Many hopes had been expressed that in the industries of the country genorally, participation in the profits would bo found to b& the solution of labour difficulties and that thus the interests of masters and men would become identified. It could not be said that either abroad— though there were a few remarkable instances on the continent—or at home, those hopes hod been widely realised. Hero and there in England, employers had been able to institute a system in certain trades, by which such a share of the profits had been assigned to the workers as they had earned by assisting in the saving of waste and that has been done, to the satisfaction of both parties. Where greator efficiency, without undue pressure and real harmony of interests with confidence in both sidee oould be secured, it was most desirable that workmans' associations should look favourably on such attempts and especially that trade unions should bo thoroughly friendly. But if at any time profit sharing was introduced by employers, avowedly or not, with the ultimate object of getting rid of the influence of the trade unions, then in tho present

stnto of public opiuion, such profit sharing schemes would do a deal more liirin them #oo(l to the cauHf of profit .sharing in England. Evun ut the bist it was n very clitficult system to work, and was alino3t inapplicable in many trades, hut if the suspicions of tiie great associations, which had done so much for the workers, were excited against it, the system could not succeed largely, even in the sphere where success was possible. But for cooperators, thts question had occupied a much narrowpr sphere, namely, that little portion of the industry of the country, which could be carried on by the capital accumulated by co-operators in their own distributive societies. "During the last few years in proportion to the vabtly growing wealth and industries of

the country, the minutest- progress in co-operation has been made. The ideal co-operative production society, where all the capital was owned by workers, was admitted to be an impossibility except in the rarest cases. There should be a stronger link of cordiality and joint action between trade unions and co-opera-tive societies than there had been. If the trade unionists of London would throw themselves heartily into organising distributive stores, they might do much to help themselves, and even the poorer wageearners. The same might be said in a degree to friendly societies. The co-operative society might supply an easy method of providing for benefits in addition to those already in existence by recommending a transfer to a friendly society by any member who desired it, of a portion of the dividend for special purposes. The provision for old age and incapacity was one of the matters which was steadily attracting more public attention. If, might also be expected that co-operation might take an increased part individually and collectively in municipal life, and an increased interest in their duties as citizens of a great country."

One of the most significant papers before the Congress concerned the advisablcness of an alliance of the trade unions and the co-operative societies. In the discussion which followed the reading of it, the opinion was expressed that trade unionists and co-operators were two of the most important factors that made up the large army of busy workers, but that there was not that union between the two wiugs of the array which co-operators, and also a large number of other people, thought should exist. Finally, it was moved that copies of the paper —on the best means of bringing cooperators and trade unionists into closer connection —be sent to the various co-operative societies in the Union, and also to the trade councils in the United Kingdom, accompanied with a strong recommendation that joint conferences of trade unionists and co-operators should be held wherever possible.