550 The Revival of Village Industries. [Sept., 



their products a standard and protection by trade marks and 

 registered designs of the Society. 



The objects of the Society are to caiTy on the trade of im- 

 porters, manufacturers and dealers, both wholesale and retail, 

 of or in any material and finished or unfinished articles required 

 by VN^orkers in rural industries, and the sale or hiring of 

 machinery, plant and equipment to workers, and the marketing 

 of their productions, and generally to assist in the development 

 of rural industries upon a sound economic and commercial basis. 

 Its functions are therefore two-fold : — 



(a) To supply raw material of every description, or half -finished 

 goods or parts, at wholesale prices, to isolated workers or groups 

 of workers engaged in rural industries and handicrafts ; also to 

 undertake where necessary, the hiring out of plant, and equip- 

 ment such as hand-looms, sewing machines, tools, etc. 



(h) To sell the articles and the materials made by rural workers 

 and handicraftsmen to the best advantage in markets not always 

 accessible to scattered workers. 



Anyone wishing to purchase raw material from the trading 

 Society will be perfectly at liberty to dispose of the finished 

 goods elsewhere if he chooses, and if he wishes to provide his 

 own material it will still be open to him to ask the Society to 

 sell his goods. This should be of great value to village workers, 

 as they will be able to obtain the raw material which they 

 require at rock-bottom prices, and so to compete more success- 

 fully with foreign goods. 



As the Society is co-operative it is not out to pay large divi- 

 dends to its shareholders ; the interest upon share capital is 

 fixed by the rules and must not exceed six per cent, per annum. 

 It will readily be seen that the Society has been established 

 mainly to benefit its producing members. After the provision of 

 a reserve fund, the balance of the net profits will be divided as 

 the Annual General Meeting may determine, so that the mem- 

 bers have full power to dispose of the profits as they think fit. 



The shares are of the nominal value of £1, and are trans- 

 ferable. They may be paid up in full on admission to member- 

 ship, or at the discretion of the Committee, by instalments. 

 Every member must take at least one share, and no craftworker 

 will be able to say that the shares are of such a nature that they 

 prohibit him from joining the Society. On the other hand, no 

 individual member can hold a share interest exceeding £200. 



A further rule provides that no political or sectarian discussion 

 shall be raised or resolution proposed at either the Committee or 



