2 Journal or the Department of Agriculture. — July, 1922. 



Controlling Co-operative Effort. 



The days of individualistic and nomadic farming are past, ar.d 

 the progress of the years, hastened by the economic upheaval that 

 has recently shaken the world, has brought at the present time to 

 South Africa the recognition of the co-operative principle, that 

 foundation of mutual trust from Avhich our future prosperity will 

 advance with accelerated speed. Farmers have unmistakably 

 wakened to the need of organizing their business, and anxious now 

 to secure the benefits that co-operative effort offers them, are moving 

 in a direction that will lead to the formation of numerous co-opera- 

 tive bodies throughout the Union. The Government is fostering a 

 movement fraught with so much of moment to the agricultural 

 development of the country, and a legislative measure dfsisned 

 to this end is now before Parliament. But co-operative effort 

 may be hampered by a multiplicity of bodies having, indeed, 

 similar objects but working independently. This has been seen 

 by far-sighted leaders of the movement, and representatives of 

 various co-operative and other agricultural bodies came together 

 last January at De Aar with the object of reconciling the work 

 of the various bodies and bringing about, if not an amalgama- 

 tion, then at least a federal organization. Following this a further 

 meeting took place at Bloemfontein in February (attended by 

 representatives of certain sections only), after which, on the 

 suggestion of the Secretary for Agriculture negotiations ensued 

 between the South African Agricultural Union and other organiza- 

 tions regarding the next steps to be taken in furtherance of this 

 very important object. As a result a special conference under the 

 auspices of the Union referred to met at Johannesburg last April to 

 devise a scheme that would ensure the cohesion of the co-operative 

 bodies already in existence and provide for those of the future. 

 The aim was to prevent the formation of bodies with similar objects 

 working independently : such, it was felt, could only be attained 

 by providing at the outset a scheme of cohesion among all present 

 bodies and of definite spheres for each, or for all to work under a 

 central authority. 



The Johannesburg conference advanced the matter a stage 

 further. At it the disability of sectional organization only, as 

 at present, and the advantages of some foi'm of central control, 

 were discussed at length. It was expressed that this central organi- 

 zation should be essentially of a business nature, and its functions 

 should include important duties concerning the oversea market, 

 railway and sea freights, insurance, etc. Finally, it was decided 

 that steps should be taken with all expedition to form what was 

 termed the " Central Federal Board," which would be representa- 

 tive of co-operative institutions, and arrangements were made for a 

 fully representative meeting at Bloemfontein, on the 31st May, 

 for the purpose of drafting a constitution for the proposed Board. 

 It was also decided to request the South African Agricultural 

 Union (the executive of which forms the South African Agricultural 

 Advisory Board) to modify and alter its constitution in order to 

 allow the proposed Central Federal Board to be represented, when 

 constituted, on the Advisory Board. 



The meeting at Bloemfontein took place as arranged, when, 

 according to advice received, the constitution was dulv discussed 



