EVOLUTION OF THE A.O.S. 113 



(b) The issue of leaflets, circulars, reports, etc. ; the 



publication of the " A. O. S. Journal," and 

 communications to the Press. 



(c) A system of expert correspondence on matters 



relating to agricultural co-operation. 



II. Organisation of Agricultural Co-operative Societies : 



(a) When invited so to do, the A. 0. S. sent an organiser 



to a district to explain the methods of forming and 

 working an Agricultural Co-operative Society. 



(b) The A. O. S. supplied its "Model Rules," and 



attended to the legal formalities of registration by 

 acting as a medium between the Society and the 

 Registrar of Friendly Societies. 



III. The assisting of co-operative societies in the following 

 directions : — 



(a) Visits by organisers from time to time, or attendance 



at annual or other general meetings, opportunities 

 being thus afforded for the giving of advice 

 or direction by members of the central staff. 



(b) The publication in leaflets, circulars, and in the 



" A. O. S. Journal " of articles on co-operative 

 subjects and on matters of importance to the 

 administration of societies. 



(c) The giving of expert advice by means of correspon- 



dence. 



IV. Acting as a medium between co-operative societies and 

 Government Departments, County Councils, Railway Companies 

 and other bodies, and watching, in their progress through Parlia- 

 ment, any Bills which might affect the interests of agricultural 

 co-operative societies or their members. 



V. General organisation. 



In the carrying on of the work on these lines, the societies 

 were also brought into contact with each other by means of 

 district and other conferences, the Joint Board for Trade, etc., 

 these having the effect of encouraging the exchange of 

 experience and information among the societies themselves. 



In later years was to come, as will be told in due course, 

 recognition by the State, the carrying out of a " devolution " 

 policy, the building up of many different departments (each 

 of which will here call for separate treatment), removal of 

 offices, and increase of staff, all contrasting strongly with the 

 conditions that prevailed in the Society's early days. 



a.o. 1 



