INFORMATION RELATING TO CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 1 3 



So far the society has not supplied oil, nets or other requisites to its 

 members, and has left the f miction of making loans for the purchase of 

 boats and gear to the Congested Districts Board. But in time it may take 

 over these enterprises. When the principles of co-operation are better 

 understood by the fishermen it nia5^ come about that they provide them- 

 selves with all the necessaries of life by means of the societ3''s organization. 



The fame of this society has spread among the fishermen of the Galvvay 

 coast, and in one or two districts the leading men are now disussing whether 

 they cannot co-operate like their fellows in Aran. 



ITALY. 



1. FACII^lTIES FOR THE IvEASING OF DOMANIAI, LANDS BY CO-OPERATIVE 



SOCIETIES. — Gazzctta Ufficiale del Regno iVItalia, Rome, No 253, 26 October 1917. 



The decree-law No. 1676, dated 20 September 1917, satisfies an old 

 desire of agricultural co-operative societies in that it fitly provides, for co- 

 operative labour societies, facilities for leasing domanial lands and the 

 State's fishing rights in public waters. It allows properties which may be 

 let privately to be let, on far more liberal terms than is usual, to legally 

 constituted agricultural, producers' and labourers' co-operative societies. 

 Every limitation regarding these leases is removed ; and their term is ex- 

 tended to nine years with an option to the government to extend*it further 

 if obligations on the lessees to make improvements or carry out particular 

 works are imposed. 



The same decree grants special facilities to co-operative societies in 

 the matter of giving securities and guarantees for the obligations they as- 

 sume, securities being limited to a certain fit quota pa^^able together with 

 an extra annual due. The intention is to guard the societies against usurers 

 and against an anticipation of large capital which would damage the eco- 

 nomy of their farms. 



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2. THE INTERNAL REORGANIZATION OF THE ITALIAN CO-OPERATIVE MOVE- 



MENT. — La Cooperazione Italiana, Milan, No. 1260, 7 September 1917. 



Recently there was a meeting at Milan of the managing council of the 

 Le^a Nazionale delle Cooperative and the three central commissions of co- 

 operation (i), in order to consider the reorganization of the co-operative 

 movement. After ample discussion those present agreed to devote their 

 activity to realizing the following programme : i) the reorganization of 

 the Catiedre delta cooperazione e delta f>revidenza (Chairs of Co-operation 

 and Thrift) , with a central office at Milan and branches in all the more im- 

 portant centres in Italy, for the popularization of the principles of co-opera- 

 tion and thrift and for giving help in administration and book-keeping to 



(i) See our issue for September, 1917, page 15. • 



