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Show CO-OPERATION IN AUSTRALIA Societies Organized for Purchase and Sale Own Valuable Warehouses Handle Farm Machinery. Australian agriculture has peculiarities peculiari-ties of fts own. In the early days farms were usually eighty acres in extent, bt'.l various conditions, which no doubt the dryness of the climate was predominate, made farms of this size economically unprofitable, and tlje range in si.e now is from one to five thousand acres, stocked with modern machinery, and so equipped generally that each is Independent of all others. Naturally co-operation, such as we have among small farmers and fruit growers, would not and could not develop. Instead of this, co-operation in Australia consists of a few large societies organized for purchase and sale, says Farm, Stock a'jd Home. These societies have their thousands of members, own valuable warehouses, handle machinery and farm supplies, and conduct a huge volume of business. busi-ness. There are two societies in particular particu-lar that call for attention. One has been in existence about twenty-five years, and now has 6.000 members. Besides Be-sides its machinery and produce warehouses ware-houses in various parts of the country, it conducts a large banking business and publishes a monthly magazine. The society handles practically everything every-thing going from and coming to the farm. All profits, outside of an ample reserve fund, are distributed among the members who hold about seventy thousand shares; not less than ten shares may W held by any member, and the largest actual number held Is about two hundred and fifty. The voting vot-ing power is, therefore, well distributed, distrib-uted, and is so limited that it is impossible im-possible for any small group of men to obtain control. Shares are transferred trans-ferred under certain limitations. Seven directors manage Ac society, the business bus-iness of which is divided into departments. depart-ments. The other organization was started about eighteen years ago. This grew out of the dissatisfaction which certain cer-tain farmers felt with prices obtained in the town. They appointed their own agent in the city market!" the agent was charged with the saie of the wood and the purchase of needed household supplies. Gradually the transaction extended to other farm products. Stores were opened at railway rail-way points. There are now fifteen of these stores, and the company also maintains a steamer on the Murray river. Twenly-five hundred members hold shares, amounting to a capital of $155,000. with a reserve of $17,000. A bonus of 5 per cent on purchase, the same for the use of the capital, is usually usu-ally paid Co-operative dairy farming and fruit growing also has received some attention. atten-tion. There are a number of co-operative butter and cherse factories in one of the grazing districts, and these, as a rule, have been successful. Cooperation Co-operation in fruit growing has but recently re-cently been introduced, and gives every ev-ery promise of being a success. There is talk of a central federation of co operative societies, and this may be looked for as 3ne of the logical steps of the near future. |
