396 



Co-operation and Small Holdings, [august, 



such a position as to enable him to obtain a fair return for 

 his produce and satisfy his requirements as cheaply as pos- 

 sible. This can only be done by the formation of Co-opera- 

 tive Trading Societies on a sufficiently large scale to enable 

 them to command the services of thoroughly competent 

 managers and by affiliating the small societies to these large 

 organisations. That this can be done is shown by the success 

 of the Eastern Counties Farmers' Association, which, after 

 less than six years' existence, has an annual turnover of 

 approximately ,£250,000, and to which small local societies 

 can be affiliated at a charge of only 1 \&. a member. 



If each small holder attempts to deal as an isolated unit, 

 not only with the productive, but also with the distributive 

 side of his business, it is certain that he cannot hope to 

 obtain the best market prices for his produce. A striking 

 instance of this occurred a few months ago when eggs were 

 being sold at prices ranging from 7s. 6d. to 10s. per 120 in 

 many parts of Wales, while at the same time the wholesale 

 prices in London, Manchester, and other large centres were 

 from 155. to 1 6s. per 120. On the other hand, an instance 

 of what can be done by business organisation to meet the 

 competition from abroad is afforded by the experience of the 

 Derby Co-operative Provident Society in connection with 

 cheese. In 1901 the Society purchased for sale to its members 

 a weekly average of 31 cwt. of Canadian cheese and only 

 5 cwt. of English cheese. The latter was bought from a firm 

 of dealers who obtained their supplies from farmers in Derby- 

 shire and Staffordshire at ruinously low prices, and who sold 

 to retailers at prices which enabled the Canadians to cut out 

 the English farmers in their own district. Last year the 

 Society developed a trade with the English producer direct, 

 with the result that they are now taking an average of 40 cwt. 

 a week of Derbyshire cheese as against 26 cwt. of Canadian 

 cheese. There seems no doubt that if all the large industrial 

 distributive Co-operative Societies would undertake to 

 organise the trade of the agricultural societies and to purchase 

 their produce at fair market prices, they would be able to 

 obtain the bulk of their supplies from home sources, and the 

 producers could rely on far better prices than they now obtain 

 from local dealers or hucksters. 



