Page 431 - The_story_of_the_C._W._S._The_jubilee_history_of_the_cooperative_wholesale_society,_limited._1863-1913_(IA_storyofcwsjubill00redf) (1)_Neat

Partnership or Absorption ?
which societies might require bank overdrafts. Immediately a
storm arose; and special meetings were demanded bj' the societies
friendly to the C.I.S. These were held at the conclusion of the
ordinary meetings of September, 1910. The C.W.S. Committee
defended their action as involving no more than a question of
management entirely within the powers conferred upon them. And
at Newcastle and London the show of hands upon the demand for
withdrawal indicated very clearly the feeling of the majority.
Yet, the question being adjourned at Manchester, it was not finally
disposed of until December, 1910. Then the total vote was decisive.
The motion for withdrawal was defeated by a two to one majority,
receiving only 729 votes against 1,489.
Events were moving at last toward a settlement of the issue.
Following the decision of 1910 the Insurance Society offered to
negotiate on the basis of the accepted circular. The proposal
ultimately was discussed by representatives of the two Wholesale
Societies and the C.I.S. in July, 1911. It was stated that the
Insurance Society was prepared to go beyond the o£fer of the excess
risks first made in 1898. Under a proposed issue of joint pohcies
they would hand over all the risks in which the Wholesale Society
had a financial interest. This working arrangement was to be
experimental for a few years, with a prospect beyond then of a
possibly complete absorption. But the C.W.S. Committee by now
were still more decidedly opposed to any three-cornered arrangement
between the two sets of contracting parties, each representing the
same constituents over again. And six months later they came to
the Quarterly Meetings asking boldly " that we be empowered to
negotiate with the Co-operative Insurance Society Limited with a
view to taking over the whole of their business." " The whole," of
course, referred to England and Wales, for the Scottish Society early
had been relieved of any doubt as to whether C.W.S. action might
not mean the Enghsh Society operating in Scotland. To the
resolution of the C.W.S. Committee the C.I.S. proposed an
amendment asking for a special committee to consider and report
upon the much-discussed question.
The decision of the constituent socisties was made evident at the
branch and divisional meetings a week before the final general
assembly at Manchester. When the thousand delegates to the latter
gathering filled the Mitchell Hall with animation on a dull, wet
Saturday afternoon of December, the only question was the
proportion of the C.W.S. majority. Mr. T. Wood, the C.W.S.
341