MANAGER OR NO MANAGER.
The quarterly meeting had under consideration the question of the general management of the Society, the points discussed being the appointment of a general manager, or the development of the system of departmental managership. The discussion was inaugurated on a motion moved by Mr Malcolm of Newton Society, “that a general manager be appointed.” The result of the discussion was the adoption of a suggestion by Mr Glasse—who said he had sat in committee with a manager and without a manager, and was of the opinion that the business could be best managed without a manager. He suggested that the matter should be remitted back to the committee for consideration and report, and the other motions and amendments which had been moved were withdrawn in favour of this suggestion.
The committee took up consideration of the question within a month, and came to the conclusion that the business of the Society could be best managed by being divided into six departments, with a departmental manager over each, who would be in direct touch with the committee. These departments were: (1) The counting-house; with Mr James H. Forsyth as head—this department to include all the commercial transactions of the Society. (2) The productive department, including the production of all bread, smallbread, biscuits, and oatcakes; to be under the charge of Mr Robert Fraser, who was also to have control of the enginemen and oilers. (3) The distributive department, which was to include the dispatching of the bread and the packing and dispatching of the biscuits and oatcakes; to be under the management of Mr William Miller. (4) The delivery was to be under the control of Mr Milne, stable foreman, who was to have control of all the horses, vanmen, and nightwatchman. (5) The building and repairs department, including the tradesmen and their assistants; to be controlled by Mr Davidson. (6) The purvey department and tearooms, under the management of Mr Robert Watson.
The committee recommended, further, that they should meet fortnightly, but that the monthly meeting remain as at present, the bi-monthly meeting to be devoted to the interviewing of all the heads of departments, each of whom was to present a written report. Another recommendation was that the term for which members of committee were elected should be extended, as they were of opinion that the frequent changes amongst the membership of the Board prevented members from acquiring a proper knowledge of the business, and had in this way interfered with the successful management of the Society. They believed that, if the delegates would accept this suggestion for the alteration of the rule governing elections, it would do much to consolidate the management of the business in the hands of the committee. At the following general meeting of the Society the principle of the report was accepted, and it was decided to hold a special meeting at the close of the next general meeting for the purpose of considering the alteration of rule proposed. At this special meeting the delegates, however, refused to make the alteration, and the tenure of office of members of committee remained at one year.
In 1894 the Society attained to the dignity of a registered telegraphic address, “Federation” being the name adopted. They also had the telephone installed, as well as private lines communicating with their teashops. At the end of the year they became members of Kinning Park, St George, and Glasgow Eastern societies for the purposes of trade, and later, of other societies as well. They also undertook a census of their employees for the purpose of finding out who amongst them were Co-operators and who were not. The census showed that the Society had 431 employees, of whom 236 were unmarried. Of the remainder 152, or 78 per cent., were associated with Co-operative societies, and 43, or 22 per cent., were not.