I^rFORMATION REI,ATING TO CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 27 



societies to simple limited liability societies, facilitating the desired increase 

 of their capital ; c) helping these banks to perfect and complete the 

 branches of their activity, actively relating the interests of the various 

 Catholic institutions, etc. 



As regards rural funds we should state, as does the report, that in these 

 provinces " there are numerous Cathohc rural funds but all of them do not 

 fulfil the objects for which they were founded ". In order to intensify the 

 movement it was therefore judged necessary to reinforce, co-ordinate and 

 improve it. For the execution of this work of organization the Federa- 

 zione delle Casse Ruyali Cattoliche of Bologna had long delegated the Cre- 

 dito Centrah of Latium wliich, in view of the fact that it is an institution 

 federating the Catholic economic institutions of the Roman and adjacent 

 provinces, was particularly fitted for the task. The meeting noticed the 

 action taken by the Credito Centrale of Latium, which promoted the forma- 

 tion of provincial federations of the rural funds of Reggio in Calabria, Sa- 

 lerno and Benevento, and, with a view to collaboration entered into rela- 

 tion with those of Cosenza and Amatrice ; and which caused various re- 

 unions to be held in other provinces. The meeting therefore confirmed the 

 mandate of the Credito Centrale. It then decided : a) to work for the consti- 

 tution of legally founded federating centres in regions where none exist, pref- 

 erably in provincial capitals, and where this is impossible to make the 

 strongest and best administered rural fund in a given zone its federating 

 centre ; b) to cause all federations to correspond with the Credito Centrale 

 of Latium which will act as their intermediary in their relations with the 

 Federazione italiana delle casse rurali and afford them particular assistance 

 in technical, legal and fiscal matters, f aciliting all their financial business ; 

 c) to cause all CathoHc rural funds, in order that thej- may complete^ dis- 

 charge their social and economic function, not only to afford cheap credit 

 but also to facilitate active habits of thrift among the agricultural classes. 

 Such action wiU place at their disposal a sufficient amount of deposits and 

 thus allow them to be maintaned and to discharge their functions by means 

 of local resources. If their resources prove insufficient the local federations 

 ■will undertake to supplement them, taking all desirable precautions. 



There was question at the meeting of the organization of agricultural 

 unions (Catholic societies for the purchase of article useful to agriculture). 

 In the south there are very few of them (at Benevento, Campobasso, Std- 

 mona, etc.) although they could very usefully assist the development of 

 local agriculture. The meeting recognized their importance and deliber- 

 ated concerning them, and then decided : a) to work for the constitution 

 in legal form of agricultural unions, either provincial or regional, which 

 ■would operate in centres where their influence is least strong and bring 

 into being efficient societies for the protection of the moral and economic 

 interests of agriculturists ; b) to take action causing these agricultural unions 

 not to confine themselves to the collective purchase of merchandise and 

 manures necessary to agriculture, but to undertake also the export of 

 products of the soil, entering therefore with this object into relations 

 with the Catholic agricultural unions of North Italy. For the execution 



