WORK DONE OR PROJECTED 237 



the advantage of the Council, in the interests of the ratepayer, 

 that they should succeed. If working through a Co-operative 

 Society the chances of success are greater. Savings can be 

 effected by purchases in bulk, by the holding of agricultural 

 machines or teams of horses in common, by combination for 

 marketing of produce, thereby saving in railway rates and obtain- 

 ing better prices. 



9. Most Councils employ agricultural experts to assist small 

 holders and others on the technical side of their careers : the 

 Co-operative Society forms an excellent nucleus for arranging 

 meetings and visits from technical instructors. 



The chief advantages to the small holders are : that they are 

 assured the greatest possible degree of independence ; that the 

 principles of mutual aid are fostered ; that in many cases they 

 would be able to furnish themselves with minor equipments more 

 cheaply than if these equipments were provided by the County 

 Council; that their rental would be somewhat lower, and even 

 where the margin charged to the individual members of the Society 

 comes out at a considerable increase in the term of rent per acre, 

 still they have the satisfaction of knowing that any profit the 

 Society earns will be divided up amongst the members. 



From the point of view of the general development of 

 small holdings Co-operative Land Renting Societies should be 

 encouraged because they only take land on the colony system, 

 which has great advantages over the system at present in vogue 

 of satisfying individuals with separate holdings scattered through- 

 out a large district, a system which raises the cost of estate 

 management to a maximum. 



After considering this memorandum, the Committee 

 resolved 



(a) That the Executive Council be recommended to print the 

 memorandum in the " Official Circular." 



(b) That the sum charged by County Councils to Co-operative 

 Societies for management expenses be at a much lower rate than 

 in the case of unassociated small holders. 



(c) That County Councils might favourably consider the 

 question of granting longer leases to Co-operative Societies than 

 to individual small holders. 



In respect to the recommendation concerning a reduction 

 in the amount charged to Co-operative Land Renting 

 Societies for management expenses, it might be pointed out 

 that unless some concession is made to the societies by the 

 County Councils, in consideration of the trouble and expense 

 they will be saved through dealing with a single body instead 



