ARGENTINA - CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 



ities the adoption of measures for the development of the production and 

 trade in dairy produce and to ensure that the country is represented at 

 dairy congresses and international exhibitions. 



The executive committee which is to manage the association in- 

 cludes six commissions, concerned : the first, with the production of the 

 milk and the scientific maintenance of the dairy and of the cows ; the 

 second with the sale of milk for consumption and the sterilization plant; the 

 third with the manufacture of butter ; the fourth with the manufacture of 

 cheese ; the fifth with the manufacture of other dairy produce and bye- 

 products ; the sixth with legislation, education and trade. 



The new association, to which the principal societies, both com- 

 mercial and co-operative, have adhered, hopes to exert as early as possible 

 a beneficent action in favour of the industry which is now passing through 

 a critical period on account of epidemic thrush and the increased pro- 

 vincial and municipal taxes. 



(Summarised from the Nacidn, Buenos Aires, February, 191 4 and the 

 Anales de la Sociedad Rural Argentina, January-February, 1914). 



* * 



2. — The work of an important argentine agricultural co- 

 operative SOCIETY. — The Province of Entre-Rios, the prosperous Meso- 

 potamia of Argentina, is, with those of Buenos Aires and Santa-Fe, the 

 district of the Republic in which agricultural co-operation is making most 

 progress. A fine example of this promising social movement is given by the 

 Luca Gonzales Mutual, which in a few years has attained considerable 

 importance. 



The society was founded in 1908 as a society Hmited by shares, as are 

 most of the Argentine co-operative associations ; its objects are various, 

 including collective purchase, sale, credit and insurance. 



On December 31st., I9i3,it had 471 members and a capital of 140,000 

 pesos. 



It is installed in a building of the value of 22,611 pesos, including, be- 

 sides the hall for the meetings etc., a school and a workshop. It has recent- 

 ly built an iron shed for a warehouse at a cost of 4,500 pesos. The society 

 has its own monthly journal : El Colono. 



During the year it arranged grants of loans to its members to a total 

 of 54,546 pesos, at 8 % interest, which, in the conditions of rural Argen- 

 tina, is certainly not high. 



It bought 50 tons of linseed for distribution among 68 members at 

 cost price (12.50 pesos the quintal) ; as well as 100,000 grain bags, which 

 it sold to members at a rate (0.29 peso each) sHghtly above cost price, 

 but still below the market rate. 



The Mutual, as we have said, also undertakes insurance, especially 

 hail insurance ; it has insured against hail 39,104 ha. sown with flax, wheat. 



