Page 193 - The_story_of_the_C._W._S._The_jubilee_history_of_the_cooperative_wholesale_society,_limited._1863-1913_(IA_storyofcwsjubill00redf) (1)_Neat

At Cardiff.
between the Wholesale and the retail societies could not fail to
overcome all obstacles. In 1894 the small saleroom in the Rotunda
Buildings was given up in favour of a four-storey warehouse in
Hope Street. This in its turn proved insufficient. Early in 1899
the C.W.S. found it necessary to convene a conference of both
Welsh and EngHsh societies in Bristol. It proved to be the largest
meeting of the kind that had as yet been held in the West. Rival
demands were made for an extended depot, supplying not only
groceries and provisions, but drapery and other goods. Although
the one chief commodity is coal, the port of Cardiff (including
Penarth and Barry) far surpasses Bristol in the value of its exports.
If its statistics were amalgamated with those of the port of Man-
chester, which has chiefly imports, the union would produce most
impressive all-round figures. Cardiff's metropolitan claims were
fully emphasised by the Welsh delegates at this Bristol conference,
and Bristol's as strongly upheld. Therefore, upon the motion of
the late Alderman W. H. Brown, of Newport, a vote was diploma-
tically avoided, v/hile an official statement was made that sites were
in view both at Bristol and Cardifif. And in 1901 the C.W.S. opened
its own building upon ground leased for 999 years at Bute Terrace,
in the Welsh city. Familiar difHculties on the score of ancient
lights prevented the building reaching its full altitude, but in 1905
the limitation was overcome. The extensions gave room for a
fully-equipped depot, where the Welsh co-operator, amongst
employees most of whom are his own countrymen, may feel that he
has the essential advantages of a purely Welsh institution and
something more besides.
Yet to provide for an increasing business even this structure
of five or six storeys will not always suffice. Cardiff, as is well
known, contains little freehold land. It was "granted" away from
"the rebels in the western parts" and out of the possession of the
English crown three or four centuries ago. But a first-class freehold
site promised to become vacant when the Cardiff Corporation
bought the wide Cathays Park, and began to erect there a new
White City—a City Hall, with Law Courts, University, and National
Museum of Wales following. The old Town Hall, fronting upon
St. Mary's Street, with the old Post Office and other adjoining
buildings, would have come under the hammer as separate lots had
not the C.W.S, opened negotiations. The Corporation naturally
preferred to deal with so large a buyer, and the entire property,
land and buildings, came into C.W.S. possession. Thus at an outla.y
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