1920.] Progress of Agricl'ltural Co-operation. 435 



Relationship between Producer and Consumer — It is not 



unnatural that bouic of those who have watched the development 

 of agricultural co-operation in this country during the past two 

 years have expressed anxiety lest the movement, in advancing 

 the interests of the farmer, should be directed against those of 

 the consumer. The exploitation of the consumer has at }io time 

 been a feature of the co-operative policy, and, indeed, any 

 attempt in that direction would necessarily defeat itself. High 

 prices and restriction of output are as dangerous to the producer 

 as to the consumer, and the real object of the farmer is to 

 organise the* purchase of his materials and the disposal of his 

 produce in such a way as to enable him safely to iii crease his 

 production and work his land to its utmost capacity. The co- 

 operative system brings him nearer to the consumer, and so 

 tends to their mutual advantage. 



Co-operative Movement and Allotment Holders-— One of the 

 most striking developments of the agricultural co-operative move- 

 ment during the past few years has been the phenomenal growth 

 of the organisation of allotment holders. There are now upw^ards 

 of 1,000 allotment societies affiliated to the Agricultural 

 Organisation Society, nearly all of which are registered under 

 the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts. The object of these 

 societies is to acquire land for their members either by renting 

 or by purchase, to carry on a co-operative trading business for 

 the purpose of supplying their members with seeds, fertilisers 

 and tools, and in many cases disposing of their surplus produce, 

 and to regulate the cultivation and arrangement of the individual 

 plots. Unorganised allotments are usually an eyesore to the 

 community, but this can easily be avoided by careful planning 

 and the enforcement of a few simple regulations. The co- 

 ordination of the interests of allotment holders with those of the 

 larger producers under the aegis of the Agricultural Organisation 

 Society has had the happiest results, and is conducing towards 

 a better mutual understanding of the problems and interests of 

 town and country which is of real national bei^efit. 



Co-operative Movement and Small Holders. -The organisation 

 of the small holders, so far as concerns those who are dependent 

 for their hving on their farming operations, is a different and. 

 in some respects, more difficult problem. The development d 

 small holdings was necessarily retarded by the War and, as 

 respects civilian applicants for holdings, is still at a standstill. 

 The settlement of ex-service men on the land k proceeding 



