MISCEI.LANEOUS NEWS 



oats, barley, and canary grass, for an amount of 1,347,118 pesos, for which 

 it collected 53,884 pesos in premiums (4% of the assured value). The 

 insured members gave bills. In the last season, 1913-1914, the society paid 

 14,876 pesos in claims, to 22 poHcy holders, tbe maximum claim being 

 2,510 pesos and the minimum 8 pesos. 



The association has been exempted by the provincial government from 

 the necessity of taking out a licence and from all dues and taxes : the other 

 co-operative societies of the region have made application for similar con- 

 cessions and a bill for the purpose is under study. 



At the last general meeting, it was decided to reserve 75 % of the 

 share capital to constitute the initial capital of the Banco de la Colonia, 

 an institution already contemplated in the rules, and the necessity for 

 which is felt more and more. This institute will be a new instrument 

 in the hands of the society and will increase its agricultural credit business, 

 acting as an intermediary between the members and the banks. 



(Summarised from the Gaceta Rural, Buenos Aires, March, 1914). 

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3. — A CONGRESS OF AGRICUI.TURAI, CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES. — In 

 December last year, a congress of agricultural co-operative societies was 

 held at Santa-Fe at which 18 societies were represented : the delegates oc- 

 cupied themselves especially with co-operative legislation and urged the 

 approval of a law fixing the basis and regulating the working of these as- 

 sociations. Up to the present indeed the co-operative societies are not 

 regulated by special laws but are considered as societies in common 

 law (i). Various draft laws on co-operation are awaiting discussion. 



The Congress further demanded the following facilitations for the 

 agricultural co-operative societies : exemption from all provincial and muni- 

 cipal taxes for ten years ; exemption from the necessity of taking out a 

 licence; reduction of rates of transport, concession of warehouses for grain 

 by the railway companies, preferably to co-operative societies. 



Further, a desire was expressed that only those should be considered 

 co-operative societies that act in behalf of members and that societies 

 paying dividends to directors, be prohibited from assuming this title. 



Finally, the institution of a federation of agricultural co-operative 

 societies was decided on. 



(Summarised from the Anales de la Sociedad Rural Ar'^eniina, Buenos Aires, 

 January- February, 1914). 



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4. — Co-OPERATION AND HOME COLONISATION. — The chief problem 

 of Argentine agricultural economy has always been that of colonisation : 



(i) See Bulletin of Economic and Social Intelligence, December, 1913, "The Co-oper- 

 ative Movement in Argentine Agriculture ". 



