Page 125 - The_story_of_the_C._W._S._The_jubilee_history_of_the_cooperative_wholesale_society,_limited._1863-1913_(IA_storyofcwsjubill00redf) (1)_Neat

A Study of Rules.
similarly in November. We have noted that in 1867 the Committee
was enlarged to nine members, and that in 1874 a General Committee
was constituted of twelve directly-elected members and one elected
from each of the Branch Committees—fourteen in all; while each
branch was provided with a directly-elected Committee of seven
persons. In 1874 also the modern sj^stem of nominating and voting
by post began. Looldng ahead, we may note that in 1883 the
General Committee was enlarged to sixteen, and the Branch Com-
mittees to eight, ])ut the latter still contributed directly from them-
selves to the general executive only one member in 1883 and only
two in 1890. Not until the reconstitution of 1906 did the process
of identifying the Branch and the General Committees come to its
final and logical conclusion. Provision for divisional meetings also
came tardily, as we shall see hereafter.
Attention has been drawn already to the strict interpretation
after 1879 of the transaction necessary to the transfer of shares
necessitated by the Act, which fully legaUsed co-operative banking.
Passing to " depreciation," this charge as fixed by rule meant
in 1863 simply that " the fixed stock shall be reduced at the rate
of 10 per cent per annum." The rule was expanded with the
growing business until it provided 2h per cent on land, 5 per cent
on buildings, and 7 J per cent on fixtures and ships. Other points
of interest are of a fighter quahty. In 1863 general meetings were
fixed for five o'clock in the afternoon; after 1867 the hour came
down to foTir o'clock, in 1871 to three o'clock, while after 1890 the
time was left open. These changes illustrate the progress of the
"Saturday stop." Again the original rules declined to let the
auditors' signatures bind the members to any balance sheet con-
"
taining an error exceeding £10, discovered within one calendar
month thereafter." In 1871 the auditors were trusted up to £100,
and evidently so merited the confidence that in 1873 the rule was
Finally, some might discern a sinister purpose m
made absolute.
one of the amendments of 1879—" to the word ' committee ' add
men ' "—but, Hke apparent additions to male privilege subsequently
'
made, it arose innocently enough simply because the EngUsh
language is sometimes a little awkard to handle.
This survey of changing rules conveniently recalls us from
the special developments of the bank, the branches, and the pro-
ductive works to the general affairs of the Society. At the Quarterly
Meeting of May, 1874, Mr. James Crabtree announced his retire-
ment from the chakmanship of the C.W.S. and from the Committee.
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