Canning Club*. 549 



Having equipped and stocked tlie premises, the club will be 

 leadv to receive from members supplies of fruit and vegetables. 

 Additional quantities may be purchased if desired from outside 

 sources. A record will be kept of each quantity sent in and the 

 value thereof, which will be decided by a small committee appointed 

 for the purpose. Members having agreed on the share of the work 

 to be done by each will then meet daily and can the different products 

 on lines to be decided beforehand. Some will attend to the peeling, 

 some to the preparation of the fruit and vegetables, and others to 

 the cooking and the packing. Efficiency will be increased by 

 specialization in particular branches of work. Where it is necessary 

 to hire labour, it will be paid from the common fund, but for econo- 

 mical reasons as little outside help as possible should be used. One 

 member should be told off to keep records of cost, so that the amount 

 expended on the production of any particular article can be readily 

 ascertained. In the end the finished articles will be marketed in bulk 

 and the profits distributed pro rata, i.e. according to the value of the 

 fruit, etc., supplied by a member, or the amount of work done by 

 her, which will be reckoned as worth so much per hour. 



Women will be able to bring their fruit and vegetables to a 

 common centre and can or bottle them by the most up-to-date methods 

 and in the most expeditious manner. The cost will be reduced by 

 the purchase of everything at wholesale rates. And bj^ reason of the 

 quantities produced on a uniform system sales on commercial lines 

 will be possible. The quantities to be dealt with will be limited only 

 by the supplies offering and the energy of the members. 



Briefiy the object of these clubs is to enable members to can or 

 bottle their fruit and vegetables, and convert them into saleable 

 articles. They may buy back any quantity they may wish to retain 

 for their own use. 



In its early stages each club will necessarily be on experimental 

 lines, but in time as the work progresses and develops and the skill 

 of the workers becomes assured, a definite scheme will be evolved. 



The following are suggestions for the early operations of a 

 club : — 



1. One or two members to be appointed to take charge, and a 

 secretary elected. The first year these posts should be honorary, 

 but once the canning club is established and has proved itself, their 

 services should be remunerated and included as part of the cost of 

 production. 



2. Products " put up " during the first year should be disposed 

 of locally. In the second yffar, when greater efficiency has been 

 attained, they may be put on the market, after due inspeclion, 

 properly labelled, and with the club stamp, which should stand as a 

 guarantee of excellence. 



3. At the end of a fixed period profits to be divided, only loorking 

 nnevihers to participate in this privilege. 



4. A register to be kept showing time and labour put in by each 

 member; members to benefit according to their share of the work, i.e. 

 they will be credited with the cash value of such work. 



5. All materials used, i.e. fruit, sugar, jars, tins, fuel, etc., to 

 be purchased by the club. 



