Page 382 - The_story_of_the_C._W._S._The_jubilee_history_of_the_cooperative_wholesale_society,_limited._1863-1913_(IA_storyofcwsjubill00redf) (1)_Neat

The Story of the C.W,S.
both sides. The I.A.O.S. proposed a sort of partnership between
the Agency and the C.W.S. But, a year later, this idea was sunk
in a larger one, that of combining all Irish creameries—independent,
C.W.S. , and as far as possible proprietary—under one corporation,
in which the Agency Society should be merged. A conference,
similar to that at Liverpool, was held in Dublin, to hear the plan
expounded. Mr. Plunketfc was in the chair, and he commented
on the new and friendly relations then existing between the C.W.S.
and the I.A.O.S. But, after considering the scheme with the
Scottish Society, the C.W.S. declined to enter what seemed too
much hke a butter trust. Very soon afterwards the friction
recommenced; and it continued practically until 1908, an I.A.O.S.
and C.W.S. conference in 1904 proving abortive. The latter meeting
was arranged to discuss the sale of C.W.S. creameries to farmers'
co-operative societies, and it broke down because the I.A.O.S. wished
to select a creamery here or there, rather than arrange for a
complete if gradual transfer. The same difficulty still blocked the
way in 1907.
Nevertheless, in the year 1908, a new ejffort for peace was made
by Mr. H. Barbour, of Lisburn, and the leaders of co-operative
distribution in the North of Ireland, who, as Irish co-operators on
excellent terms with the C.W.S., naturally felt themselves entitled
to move. All along the Wholesale Society had made it perfectly
clear that it was willing not only to sell the creameries to a society
of the farmer suppUers in each case, but to leave a balance in the
form of a mortgage on the creamery, repayable by instalments.
This formed a basis for fresh conferences at Ne^\Ty on the 3rd of
October, 1908, and at Dublin on the 16th of the January following.
It was stated at the latter meeting that the C.W.S. recognised
the Irish farmers as the proper persons to organise and control
co-operative dairying and every possible point in favour of a transfer
;
was conceded. For the settlement of particular terms a scheme
of arbitration was arranged. It bemg evident, however, that to
dispose of all the creameries in this way would be a very long and
tedious business, even if it could be effected at all, negotiations also
were opened with private owners. At the same time there was still
to be a preference in favour of the societies organised by the I.A.O.S.
Altogether, up to the end of 1912, thirty-four main creameries and
fifty-one auxiharies passed out of C.W.S. hands. About one-third
of these went to various societies—^farmers, creamery, dairy, or
agricultural—and two-thirds to proprietors. Whether this result of
304