Agricultural Credit Banks. 



47 



Banks, which are now so flourishing, began to multiply on a 

 large scale, it teaches us patience, and makes us hope that 

 the English labourers will ultimately be as energetic in this 

 direction as their Continental brethren. 



The comparative smallness of our villages, and the fact 

 that we have a far less number of small cultivators, either 

 tenants or freeholders, and fewer village industries, are some 

 of the difficulties to be overcome. There are also two other 

 factors which, without becoming controversial, we might 

 mention in this connection, and those are the greater class 

 distinctions of our social life and the non-co-operative dis- 

 position of our people. 



None of these difficulties are insuperable, as has been 

 proved by the banks already established. There are hundreds 

 of villages large enough for Agricultural Credit Societies, 

 and endless openings for public-spirited, social leadership in 

 bringing the people together to form them. 



How to Start a Village Co-operative Bank. 



Anyone desirous of promoting a Village Co-operative 

 Bank should (after distributing the explanatory country 

 leaflet of the Co-operative Banks' Association) convene a 

 meeting of those likely to be suitable members, to discuss 

 the desirability of founding a rural credit society of this 

 character. 



At this meeting a statement of the principles of the move- 

 ment (which the convener should have carefully studied 

 beforehand) should be made. If the formation of a society is 

 approved a resolution should be passed, appointing a pro- 

 visional committee to consider the best basis for its estab- 

 lishment. 



The provisional committee should consider the special 

 wants of the neighbourhood, and the best system to be 

 adopted to meet them. It should then take steps to ascertain 

 whether there is likely to be sufficient support to render it 

 possible to commence work effectively. If this be decided 

 in the affirmative, the recommendations of the committee 

 should be reported to a public meeting, to be called in the 

 parish. 



