324 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



< >,. 



1915. 



CO-OPERATION. 



CO-OPERATIVE INSURANCE IN WEST 

 INDIAN AGRICULTURE. 



In connexion with our re\ iew of the work of the Ant i 

 Onion Growers' Association which iippears on this page, 

 attention maj be called to a paper on another aspecl o1 

 operation, namely insurance, which was read reeentlj bj 

 ]>r. Temp re the Antigua Agricultural and Commercial 



Society. 



After sketching in outline the growth and importance of 

 general c i-operative methods, not only in Europe but also in 

 the West Indies. I >r. Tempany proceeded to discuss the special 

 subject of insurance. The object to be attained is to provide 

 against losses in respect of anj particular risk by menus of 

 payment at an animal percentage rate ..n the value of the 

 article to lie insured, which slightly exceeds the average rate 

 of loss in this respect. An example of co operative insurance is 

 found in the case of the CO-operative cattle insurance societies 



which have grown up very hugely throughout European 

 countries. In these it is customary for a number of societies 

 to group themselves together to form a reinsurance association, 

 which provides against any of the contributing societies losing 



unduly heavily in any one yen-. The advantage of this form 



of insurance in relation to stock is that members i bserve 



and supervise the care given to insured animals, and the action 

 taken when anything occurs. They are also in i position to 

 estimate collectively the value of the animals, both upon 

 insurance and in case of loss. In Some countries cattle 

 insurance is State aided, and in some it is compulsory. In 

 others the State organizes the insurance by establishing insti- 

 tutions or federations formed of the local mutual societies, 

 which adopl the model articles approved by the institution 

 to which they are attached. A proportion of the premium 

 received by the local societies is paid to the central society. 

 which bears the same proportion of the indemnities. 



Premiums have to be fixed in ai dance with the risks 



involved and experience gained. In some countries the rate 



of premium is fixed every five years, based on the results 

 obtained. Also, in certain instances, compensation is not paid 

 for animals lost from epidemic disease, and in others certain 

 diseases ate excluded. Seldom are very young or very old 

 .stock accepted. 



In order to make certain that the owner will tend a sick 

 animal properly and not let it die so as to obtain the 

 insurance money, societies never pay the whole value, but 

 a proportion varying from 60 to 70 pet cent. It is usual to 

 fix a maximum value for which an animal may be insured; 

 the owner states the value and this valuation is checked by 

 the committee, whose valuation holds good. Valuations are 

 checked every six months and altered if necessary. 



In mutual insurance societies, the officials give their 

 service gratuitously, but the secretary may receive a small 

 salary. Every member joins for a year, and after receiving 

 an indemnity he must continue his membership for three 

 years, [n all cases a reserve fund is accumulated out of the 

 balance left after paying indemnities. Societies are always 



limited in liabilities and therefore not responsible beyond 



their resources. If funds do not suffice a proportionate 

 reduction in the indemnities is made all round. 



In the West Indian islands it would appear that there 

 is a very definite opening for the establishment of such cattle 

 insurance societies provided that equitable arrangement can 

 be entered into between the contracting planter-. Another 



matter that appeals as a tit subject for CO-operative action is 



the insurance of cane fields and estate buildings against the 

 risk of tire. 



As a basis for discussion Dr. Tempany lias drifted a set 



of mles which may perhaps be regarded, as suitable to 

 conditions. Subsequent efforts in connexion with this idea 

 oi co-operative insurance in Antigua will be awaited with 

 interest. 



ANTIGUA ONION GROWERS' ASSOCI- 

 ATION: REPORT FOR 1914-15. 



The Hoard of Management of the Antigua Union 

 Growers Association have just issued their report on the 



results of last season's work. The results are very encour- 

 aging and should pave the way for extended effort in future 

 years. Indirectly the work of such an Association as the 

 one under consideration is valuable by reason of the imp. tUS 



which it will give to West [ndian co-operative efforts In 

 general. 



During the year under review a very important adv 

 was shown on previous ones. As the result of the ope. 

 of the previous season, a scheme was adopted whereby the 



onion crops of members should 1.,- m irketed on a co-operative 



basis through the Association, a first payment of lc. per lb. 

 being made on delivery followed by a distribution of the 

 surplus profit, pro rata, among members according to the 

 amounts delivered by them. In all twenty five estates unit.. I 

 to dispose of their produce in the manner indicated. The 

 total gross weight of onions purchased was 186,198 fib.; this 



was graded, cured and packed and shipped by tic Association, 



all necessary expenses including cost of crates being borne 

 by that body. As the result of the season's work, it has 

 been found possible to pay a bonus of 2*. 1,/. per 100 lb 

 ..f onions delivered in addition to the first payment at 

 the rate of if. 2d. per 100 lb. made on delivery. 



huring the season 191 .'i- 1 1, the total weight of oris 



purchased was 42. V'.ut lb., so that the operations on the 

 present occasion are more than four times the size of those 

 in the preceding year. 



To permit of the work being carried on on such an extend- 

 ed si de it was found necessary to provide for increased accom- 

 modation. This was. effected by a sanction from the Go\ 

 ernment which allowed the Association to occupy the 

 remainder of the building formerly utilized by the Antigua 



Cotton Factory. The Government furthermore assisted the 



sell, me i . providing an advance for the purpose of e.piipjng 

 the factory. 



In relation to the first payment for onions at the 

 _: I rate of lc. per lb., it was found necessary ill 

 order to finance the Association, to obtain a further 

 advance from a firm of merchants locally, while the 

 unexpended portion of the advance made by the Govern- 

 ment to the Association on ac mt of equipment <uA 



election was also expended in this way. The total sum 

 of money expended ill the redemption of these advances 

 with the necessary interest was £210 :;,<, ."„/. As regards 

 working expenses, the charge for crates and nails con- 

 stituted the heaviest item, the expenses in this connexion 

 amounting to £1 47 0«. ( '"/. 



The total sum of money, after paying all expenses, 

 available to be distributed as a bonus among m. 

 amounted to £200 12»., which amount has been distributed 

 at the rati' of 2s. Ifrf. per 100 ft), as stated above. In 

 accordance with the terms of the original memorandum 3 



per cent, of the net proceeds has been [.laced to the credit 

 of the Association and used to form the nucleus of a reserve 

 fund for subsequent years. To the credit of the reserve 

 fund have also been placed the subscriptions of members and 



