PROVISION OP BORROWING FACILITIES. 327 



from the grasp of the usurer" and one principal result has been 

 precisely this ; the usurer has been ousted, and the people set free 

 to develop their farms or industries. No previous liquidation was 

 asked for or needed ; the member was a neighbour, his character 

 was known, the use to which he intended to put the loan and his 

 power of repaying it was examined, the money was advanced and 

 the thing was done. 



The following paragraphs are taken partly from the Model 

 Articles of Association, partly from other sources : Articles, of 

 course, differ in various societies, but are generally similar to those 

 mentioned. 



Members. All adults of either sex, in full possession of their 

 civil rights, may become members ; admission is sanctioned by the 

 directors, with an appeal to the committee of supervision in case of 

 rejection. A member may withdraw or be dismissed ; the statutes 

 detail the circumstances in each case. It may be noted that 

 dismissal is necessitated by the removal of the member to a 

 village outside the society's sphere of operations, or if he joins 

 another society of unlimited liability, in which case, of course, the 

 original society might lose its lien over the member's property. 



Members have the right of voting at the general meetings if 

 present in person ; females have no right to take part in such 

 meetings, but may vote by proxy. Every member is entitled to 

 ask for a loan. They are bound to answer in all their property for 

 the debts of the society, to pay up their shares, to obey the rules, and 

 to watch over the interests of the society in every way. 



Administration. Naturally the best men of the village form the 

 original members, and therefore the original administration ; the 

 burgomaster (village head), priest, school-master and bigger peasents 

 usually form the nucleus. The society has always a board of directors, 

 including the chairman of the association, a council of suj>ervision, a 

 generalassembly, and an accountant. Regarding these organs RAIFFEISEN 

 said "the directors decide, the accountant executes, the committee 

 of supervision oversees." The directors elected by the general 

 assembly represent the society, and have the management of 

 affairs, including the admission and exclusion of members, the 

 internal work of the office, the enquiry into, and grant of 

 applications for loans. For facilitating loans each director lias 

 a register, persons in his immediate neighbourhood or hamlet 



