Page 66 - 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.
from prominent biscuit and jam makers to wine merchants, and
from manufacturers of blacking to providers of pork pies, all of
whom declared themselves as refusing to do business with
co-operation on any terms or in any form.
But, the C.W.S. trade then being over a miUion a year, this was
belated action; while, with the concurrent growth of the distributive
and productive businesses of societies and their federation, since that
time the most hostile traders have changed their attitude. ^ For
the most part they now confine themselves to agitating for what
would be a special tax upon co-operators. Meanwhile it is pleasant
to remember that co-operation has never been without aid from
among the trading classes. More than one society can look back to
a time when, struggling, isolated, and alone, it found in some
merchant, manufacturer, or miller (frequently a member of the
Quaker body) both an uninterrupted source of supply and a genuine
friend.
From this inefifectual but entertaining opposition we turn again
to the comparatively dull record of the North of England Society's
progress. On the same afternoon (or evening) of the hah-yearly
meeting in November, 1867, described in the last chapter, and
following the special meeting then held for altering the Society's rules,
the Co-operative Insurance Society was founded, with the C.W.S.
as a member; and, early in 1868, extra insurance to the amount of
£1,000 on the Dantzic Street stock was covered with the new
organisation. This brought the total value insured up to £3,300;
while the reserve fund at the same time stood at £682. Os. 2d.
Perhaps the possession of the extra twopence gave the Committee
additional courage in going forward with the plans for the Balloon
Street warehouse; possibly, also, it was economy in view of the
"
new undertaking which caused the decree of April 4th, that stock
be taken next Saturday without payment of the Committee-man or
refreshments to those engaged." However, while negotiations were
also in progress for an additional butter-buying agency at Kilmallock,
Ireland, the main business of the year 1868 was the erection, at a
'Some retail grocers, about 1879, preferred imitation to abuse. They formed a
London Grocers' Co-operative Wholesale Society, and registered it under the Indus-
trial and Provident Societies Act. The third half-yearly report was issued early in
1881. The sales for the half year had reached £54,486, although the wholesale houses
were reported as striving to crush the society. But the six himdred shareholding
grocers had only raised a capital of £4,861, and for want of another £15,000 or so the
society succumbed. In 1885 the Manchester and District Grocery Trade Defence
Association also proposed a Manchester Grocers' Wholesale Society, which was " not
to make profit, and so avoid income tax; " but it does not seem to have passed beyond
the stage of adopting articles of association. See the Co-operative News, May 28th,
1881, and December 12th, 1885.
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