EVOLUTION OF THE A.O.S. 137 



stimulating local interest and the spread of the movement. 

 A closer intimacy with the farmers would be established ; 

 there would be increased facilities for arranging, holding and 

 attending meetings and following up their results ; and it 

 would be possible, not only to watch closer over the welfare 

 of societies already formed, but also to ascertain the exact 

 conditions prevailing in every part of the country, which 

 information would enable the A. O. S. to formulate and carry 

 into effect a propagandist policy on scientific lines, and suited 

 to the needs of each particular district. Then, also, it was 

 thought that a Branch organisation would be able to adjust 

 any difference that might arise between the various societies 

 in its group in regard to overlapping. When societies are 

 engaged in trade and their business is extending there is the 

 risk that they may seek to push that business still further 

 by invading what another society may regard as its own 

 particular territory ; or, alternatively, new societies may be 

 started in areas which existing societies might consider are 

 sufficiently covered by their own activities. Matters of this 

 kind could all be taken in hand by the local branch, with a 

 consequent avoidance of friction and to the advantage of the 

 operations in general. 



Finally it was hoped that a further effect of this Branch 

 Devolution scheme would be the securing of a larger amount 

 of voluntary support. 



Constitution of Branches. 



The precise details to be followed in the formation of the 

 Branch Committees were to depend on circumstances ; but, 

 generally speaking, it was proposed that they should include 

 representatives of the County Councils, the Agricultural 

 Colleges, local sections of the Co-operative Union, the railway 

 companies, the A. O. S., and the affiliated societies in the 

 counties included in the Committee's area. 



Three Branches have been formed, namely a North 

 Eastern Counties Branch, with Mr. Philip Burtt, Assistant 

 General Manager of the North Eastern Railway Company, 

 as chairman, to deal with the whole of Yorkshire, Durham 



