Page 44 - The_story_of_the_C._W._S._The_jubilee_history_of_the_cooperative_wholesale_society,_limited._1863-1913_(IA_storyofcwsjubill00redf) (1)_Neat
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The Story of the C.W.S.         —

        abandon the measure for that session.  The Lancashire committee
        reviewed the  position, and  for Christmas Day,  1861,  called a
        conference at the Oldham Road branch of the Rochdale Pioneers'
        Society.  During an afternoon and evening  sitting the BUI was
        reconsidered in detail, and steps were taken towards better progress.
        A levy of a halfpenny per member was asked from societies, and it
        was decided to send two delegates in due course as a deputation
        to London.  It was further resolved  :
          That this meeting considers it advisable to attempt the establishment of a
        wholesale depot as soon as possible after the passiiig of the Bill.
           Now opened the arduous year of 1862, already darkening in
        Lancashire with the shadow of the coming cotton famine.  The
        business of their newly-estabhshed cotton factory, the Sun Mill,
        absorbed much of the attention of the Oldham men, and the v/ork of
        cutting a road for the Wholesale Society  fell mainly upon the
        Rochdale group.  James Smithies and Thomas Cheetham, of Roch-
        dale, were added to the committee, and Smithies, in place of Howarth,
        went with Greenwood to London.  The deputation seems to have
        been necessary, not only to accelerate matters, but also to save the
        movement from such friends as usually can see what is wanted better
        than the persons most concerned.  Ilhiess had deprived co-operators
        of Mr. Slaney's services, and the Bill was eventually introduced by
        Mr. J. Southeron Estcourt, Conservative member for North Wilts
        and an ex-Home Secretary.  On moving the second reading (April
        30th, 1862), Mr. Estcourt spoke of one hundred and fifty societies in
        existence " doing a business nhich in the course of last year amounted
        to the extraordinary and almost incredible sum  of £1.512,117.
                                                         "
        The men responsible for the Bill," said Mr. Estcourt,  were not
        embarked in a pleasure-boat, but were pulhng for their lives in
        a mere skiff, and deserved to be protected from the surging billows
       on every side."  Representing the Liberal Government, the Solicitor-
        General offered no objection to the Bill, and, no one else apparently
        being  interested  sufficiently  to  speak,  the second reading was
       forthwith carried.  Under the charge of Mr. Estcourt's friend. Lord
       Portman, this second charter of co-operation fared similarly in the
       Lords, and, with some slight amendments, in due course it received
       the royal assent.
          This year  for the  third time  in  succession the Lancashire
       committee gave up their Christmas Day.  But they had more reason
       now for doing  it cheerfully.  There was a note of triumph in the
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