DISPUTE WITH LOCAL BAKERS.
It was in 1903 that the private bakers in Ireland began to show their hostility to Co-operation. At first this hostility did not take the form of an absolute refusal to supply bread, but the equally effective one of reducing the discount allowed and at the same time refusing to undertake delivery. In Belfast the society was badly hit by this policy, and in their need they applied to the U.C.B.S. for assistance, asking them to supply the society with bread and at the same time to take into consideration the opening of a branch bakery in Belfast. Belfast Society followed up their letter by a deputation, and as a result of the interview the Bakery Board agreed to supply the society with bread in the meantime and also to lend them two vans to enable them to distribute the bread to their members.
At the June quarterly meeting of 1903 a Belfast deputation again attended to plead their cause with the delegates. Mr Gilchrist was their spokesman and made a lengthy statement, explaining the friction which had arisen between the society and the local baking firms and the steps which the society had taken to meet the difficulty. He stated that the membership and trade of the society were both increasing rapidly, and made a strong plea that the Federation should come to their help by planting a branch bakery in Belfast. The result was that power was given to the committee of the Federation to help Belfast Society in any way possible. One of Kinning Park delegates moved an amendment to the effect that power be not given, but this amendment did not meet with much support.
The result of this decision was that the Committee appointed a deputation to visit Belfast with the object of finding out the real position there and what buildings or land might be available for the planting of a branch. A bakery, consisting of two Scotch ovens and one draw-plate oven, together with the necessary bakery plant, had been discovered, and seemed a suitable place, while the price was £750, but it was ultimately decided that ere making an offer all the Irish societies should be consulted as to the best method of assisting Irish Co-operation under the circumstances. By the time the replies to the letters sent had been received, however, the Committee were informed that the bakery they had under consideration had been sold, with the result that the manager and secretary of Belfast Society were requested to supply particulars of other vacant sites, and particularly of open ground suitable for building on. When these reports came to hand they contained particulars of six different plots of ground, ranging from one acre to five acres in extent, and with prices ranging from £26 per acre to £60 per acre—the latter price, however, including the making of streets. With these reports before them the Committee decided to delay coming to any decision until after the question had been again before the quarterly meeting, but to go forward to the quarterly meeting with a recommendation that a branch be erected at Belfast.