EVOLUTION OF THE A.O.S. 125 



representing the Board ; Mr. C. Roden Buxton and Mrs. 

 Wilkins, nominated to represent the Central Small Holdings 

 Society ; the late Mr. J. C. Gray (general secretary of 

 the Co-operative Union) ; and Mr. D. Mclnnes (secretary 

 of the Midland Section of the Co-operative Union and a 

 director of the Co-operative Wholesale Society), nominated 

 to represent the Co-operative Union. 



The National Poultry Organisation Society nominated the 

 Marchioness of Salisbury and Col. R. Williams, M.P., as its 

 representatives. 



In further accordance with the conditions on which the 

 grant was made three new organisers were appointed. 



D.— RECONSTITUTION. 



The concession of State aid through the grant which had 

 been made by the Board of Agriculture was followed by 

 a complete reconstitution of the Society as the result of a 

 subsequent grant under the Development and Road Im- 

 provement Funds Act, 1909, and the amending Act of 

 1910. 



Designed to " Promote the Economic Development of the 

 United Kingdom and the Improvement of Roads therein," 

 this new legislation led to the appointment, in May, 1910, 

 of a body known as the Development Commissioners, by 

 whom the objects of the Act were to be carried into effect. 

 This was to be done through the administration of a 

 " Development Fund," created by the setting apart annually 

 of £500,000 from the Consolidated Fund for a period of five 

 years, supplemented by such moneys as might from time to 

 time be provided by Parliament for the purposes of the Act. 



Under section 1 (1) it was provided that " The Treasury 

 may, upon the recommendation of the Development Com- 

 missioners appointed under this Act, make advances to a 

 Government department, or through a Government depart- 

 ment to a public authority, college, school or institution, or 

 an association of persons or company not trading for profit, 

 either by way of grant or by way of loan, or partly in one 

 way and partly in the other, and upon such terms and 



