The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-12 00:00:00

CO-OPERATION AMONG THE HARMERS.

Yesterday afternoon a meeting was held at the
Islington Literary Institution for the purpose of discussing
the desirability of extending the co-operative principle
among the agricultural community, so far as the purchase
of implements, =mums, seeds, &c., is concerned. Mx. T.
lirc nem, M.P., occupied the chair.

The meeting was called at the instance of the Agricul-
tural end Horticultural Association, newly-formed on the
co-operative principle, whose content consists of the Right
Hon. W. Cowper, M.P., Mr. W. Morrison, BL P., Mr. T.
M ignnini
hes M.P., Meters. J. Beal, E. V. Neale, and F.
Feton.

Mr. GREENING, who is the managing director, stated
that the operations of the association, so far as they had
gone, had been crowned with complete success, and the
members were naturally desirous of extending the prin-
ciple among the agricultural community at large. The
principle on which the association had been formed was
that of a limited share capital, by which all liabilities
were limited to the amount of 1/. per share. The
members went to be supplied with the best description of
implements, manures, cattle food, seeds, dcc., at trade
prices, without the intervention of agents' profits ; but in
addition to their securing good and unadulterated articles,
the whole of the profits, minus the small charge for work-
ing expenses, which did not average more than 4 percent,
would find their way into the pockets of the members.
They would receive a dividend of 71 per cent on the capi-
tal and the profits upon their purchases, minus the working
expenses, the amount returned in the average of existing
cooperative associations being 6-7ths of the profits. At
present the manufacturers allowed a commission of some-
thing like 20 per cent to the agents who sold the goods,
and 111 the event of the fanners availing themselves of the
advantages of agricultural co-operation, that commission
would be saved, and would of itself form • large margin of
profit.
The CHAIRMAN said there could be no doubt of the value
of the principle of co-operation, and the only question was
as to the expediency of extending it to agriculturists,
which was a point to be determined by themselves. He
found that by co-operation he could himself save from 12
to 15 per sent. in his household expenses which was •
grave consideration for any man whatever position he
might fill. It was, moreover, found that the adoption of
the principle was useful in checking the adulteration of
the articles sold, and the prevalence of unjust weights and
scales, thereby helping to improve the system of trade
generally, which was, to say the least of it, in a very de-
moralised condition at present
A conversation followed, in which
Mr. MonitinoN, M.P., referring to the adulteration of
food for cattle, related that a tenant farmer in Yorkshire
looking over his father's books dated some years ago, found
that it took two or three times tho amount of oilcske to
fatten beasts at the present time compared with what it
did then, and on mentioning the circumstance to some
fanner friends inquiries were made, the oilcake was
analysed, and it was discovered that it was adulterated
with upwards of 75 per cent. of other and cheaper food.
One great advantage of joining a cooperative association
of this character was that the farmers would not be put to
the cost of carrying comparatively worthless manure, which
was sometimes sold to them as guano and other manures.
In reply to • question,
Mr. Gamma* stated that it appeared from the returns
made to government that the total amount of capital in-
vested in co-operative societies was 1,046,3101., and leut
ou deposit 118,1a1/. ; that the total amount of profit by
the last annual return was M 2,317/. which, after deduct-
ing 5/. per cent. interest on capital, left something like
36 per cent. of profit returned to members.
Me. MualilsoN also stated that in the limited business
hitherto done by the agricultural co-operative society the
profit returnable to members had been very large.
In the course of the discussion which ensued, those who
took part admitted the importance of the principle, and it
was agreed that the matter was one which it was very
desirable to bring under discussion at the Farmers' Club,
and other associations of agriculturists.
A cordial vote of thanks to Mr. T. Hughes closed the
proceedings.

COMPENSATION FUR RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—At the
Secondaries' Court, Guildhall, yesterday (before Mr.
Secondary Potter end a special jury), the case of " Pegler
r. South Eastern Railway Company" was tried. It was a
writ of inquiry to amess the amount of damages in an
action brought by the plaintiff in one of the superior courts
for injuries which he sustained while travelling on
the defendants' railway. Mr. Digby Seymour, Q.C.,
appeared fur the plaintiff • and Mr. O'Malley, Q.C.,
fur the defendants. The plaintiff was In the service of
Mr. Peun, the engineer, of Greenwich, and on the 4th of
September he was travelling on the Greenwich Railway,
when the train came iu collision with an engine, and it
was averred that he sustained serious injury and shock to
his system. He had been in the receipt of a salary of 200 f.
a year. Medical evidence having been given as to the
plaintiff's condition, Mr. O'Malley addressed the jury for
the defendants, and urged that the state of the plaintiff
was not so serious as had been represented, and that he
was only entitled to a reasonable amount of damages. The
jury awarded the plaintiff 1,0001.

-61111 CH MissIoNARY SOCIETY. —A public meet-
ing was held yeaterday at the London Tavern, the Right
Hon. the Lord Mayor in the chair, in support of the
special appeal for pecuniary aid recently issued by the
society. The large room was moderately well filled, and
the platform was crowded by influential City merchants
and a large number of clergymen. Resolutiona in accord-
ance with the objects of the meeting tore adopted.