30 REGENCY OF TUNIS - CO-OPERA.TION AND ASSOCIATION 



Although the cereal harvest in 1915 was in general good, certain dis- 

 tricts which had suffered from drought or hail applied for loans which were 

 granted to them. A total expenditure of 1,566,749 francs — the price of 

 32,899 quintals of wheat and 24,297 quintals of barley — was thus incurred. 



In distributing this grain the administrators aimed especially at buy- 

 ing cereals in the districts in which they were to be distributed, a procedure 

 which had the double advantage of furnishing borrowers with seeds suited 

 to their local climatic conditions and of considerably reducing the costs 

 and difficulties of transport. Unfortunately it could rarely be applied, for 

 there is usually a lack of cereals in the districts in need of loans. 



3) MortgaQe Loans. — The native thrift societies haX'e continued, in 

 view of the continuation of the state of war, to abstain on principle from lend- 

 ing on m.ortgages. In the exceptional case however of five requests for 

 loans, made by the natives of Nefzaoua before the war, the total sum of 

 38,789.95 francs was lent in 1915. 



During the 3'ear 1914-1915 " small mortgage loans of maintenance " 

 were instituted in the caidate of Sousse in order to allow small proprietors 

 to obtain food without recourse to usur\-. In the period from 5 February 

 1915 to 14 August 1916 forty-two such loans were made of sums between 

 twenty and 500 francs, totalling 2,310 francs. 



4) Co-operative Associations. — In spite of great difficulties, due espe- 

 cialh" to an insufficient staff and the obstacles placed by the war in the way 

 of providing industrv^ with primary and other material, most of the co-oper- 

 ative societies affiliated to the native thrift societies have developed their 

 activity in 1915. 



Independently of the immediate aid thex' have been able to give their 

 members by placing at their disposal the capital they need, charging far 

 less than the usual rate of interest, these organizations have accustomed 

 the native artizans and traders to co-operation, that indispensable condi- 

 tion of indu.strial and commercial progress. 



The advances they made amoimted to 41,185.29 francs in 1913 and 

 to 23,790 francs in 1914, and rose in 1915 to 115,987.49 francs. This 

 sum does not include the numerous advances made by the Revictualling 

 Account to various native enterprises, and especially to the Laboratory of 

 Industrial and Commercial Experiments in order to allow this institution 

 to ensure the activity of its various workshops and furnish important mi- 

 litary supplies to the Intendance. 



