42 



ITAI<Y - CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 



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4. — Work of the '' federazione italiana dei consorzi agrari" 

 {Italian Federation of Agricultural Consortiums) in 1913. — In 1913 the 

 " Federazione Italiana dei Consorzi Agrari " of Piacenza sold agricultural 

 produce to the amount of 18,294,873 frs. and agricultural machinery for 

 an amount of 3,149,306 frs., so that the total sales came to about 

 21,500,000 frs. The share capital amounted to 261,855 frs. The associ- 

 ations federated in it are 713 in number. 



(Summarised from " Italia Rurale " , organ of the " I'ederazioue italiana dei 

 Consorzi Agrari". Piacenza, no. 520. March i6lh., 1914). 



5. — The development of the " federazione delle cooperative 

 Di CREDITO ' ' OF GiRGENTi {Federation of the Credit Co-operative Societies of 

 Girgenti). — Among the federations of co-operative societies, the Girgenti 

 Federation deserves to be noted for its continual progress. On Decem- 

 ber 31st., 1913 it included 52 societies with 10,563 members and had a 

 total capital of 3,212,773 frs. The work of the Federation has gradually 

 increased in proportion to the increase of the federated bodies, which may 

 be seen in the following table : 



Progress made by the Girgenti Federation of Co-operative Societies, 

 between 1907 and 1913. 



Of the federated societies 5 have the form of limited liability societies. 

 4 that of societies en commandite, and 43 are unlimited Hability societies. 

 Further, 43 work as intermediary institutes for the bank of Sicily for the grant 

 of agricultural credit. Of the 52 affiliated institutes, 47 are working, with an 

 average of 220 members each and an average amount of bills and acceptances 

 rediscounted on December 31st., of 63,000 f rs. , fepresenting according to the 

 estimate of the Federation, an annual business of about 96,500 frs. 



In order better to attain its ends, the Federation is divided into three 

 offices : the first for co-operative propaganda, legal assistance and advice ; 



