PROPOSALS FOR BETTER WORKING.
The first proposition was that a manager be employed; but this was defeated by an amendment that the management be left in the hands of the committee. The second proposal was that the foreman baker should be the party who should judge the quality of the flour before purchasing, the quantity to be decided by the committee, and it was accepted, as was the third—that no person be a member of committee who has anything to do with the making or selling of flour to the bakery (but not to the exclusion of operatives) so that the committee be left perfectly untrammelled in their actions.
Another proposition was to the effect that the members of the Baking Society’s committee should be elected for that committee only, and not be simply delegates from the committee of their society; but as this affected one of the rules of the Society it was not discussed. It was also proposed that the committee should watch the purchases of societies with a view to dealing with those who were not purchasing enough to earn their fair share of profit, and considering whether they should be allowed to continue as members of the Society. The committee pointed out that they were already doing this, and the meeting agreed to the proposal. Another proposal was to the effect that when the additional shares had been called up the committee should purchase flour where it could be had best. This proposal sounds as if there was some suspicion in the minds of the proposers that the Society was being hampered in obtaining the best flour for its purpose by lack of money, and as the delegates gave a general acquiescence to the proposal it would seem that the suspicion was fairly general. It certainly could be said for the proposal that it gave the committee full power to do the best they could for their Society.
Just before the end of the fourth year Motherwell and Dalziel societies dropped out of the Federation at the request of the committee, as although both societies were loyal purchasers, the cost of delivery was so great that the Society was losing money on their trade. The Federation still consisted of fifteen societies, however—viz., Anderston, Barrhead, Busby, Cathcart, Johnstone, Lennoxtown, Cadder, Parkhead, Elderslie, Howwood, Eastern, Paisley Provident, Thornliebank, St Rollox, and Avonbank—and other societies were being supplied with bread. About this time, also, a new departure was made. The committee had found that their biscuit trade was not a profitable one, and the cashier was instructed to make inquiries as to the terms on which some of the Glasgow biscuit manufacturing firms would supply them with biscuits. It was finally arranged that Gray, Dunn & Co. supply them with biscuits through the Wholesale Society, and this arrangement continued for some time until a fire at the biscuit factory put an end to the connection, when the trade went to Herberts Ltd.
During the fourth year the Society had made considerable progress, and the trade for the year showed a substantial increase, but it had not been very profitable. Indeed in the fourth quarter, after provision had been made for interest and depreciation, there was nothing left to divide, while nothing had been added to the reserve fund during the year. The aggregate output for the year was 7,955 sacks, equal to an average of 153 sacks a week, which was an average increase of 31 sacks per week over the turnover of the previous year. The Society was still much hampered in its operations from lack of capital; the total share and loan capital being only £1,618. During the latter half of the year the price of flour had been very high, reaching in the later months of the year 45/6 per sack for the average quality used.
Yet, although there were still many anxious days ahead for the committee and not a few lean years, with the close of the fourth year the Society had been established on a firm foundation. Henceforth there were not the same defects of management to contend with, and what difficulties did arise were due to weakness in the societies which were customers of the Bakery rather than to causes operating within the Federation itself. In a later chapter mention will be made of some of the difficulties which arose owing to the weakness of some of the societies which were members of the Federation.
CHAPTER V.
THE BRANCH CONTROVERSY.
A LENGTHY CONTROVERSY—TO BRANCH OR NOT TO BRANCH?—AN OPTIMISTIC REPORT—LACK OF CAPITAL—STRONG OPPOSITION—BARRHEAD THREATENS WITHDRAWAL—THE QUESTION REOPENED—BARRHEAD DECIDES TO WITHDRAW—SHELVED AGAIN—DISSATISFACTION IN PAISLEY AND JOHNSTONE—BRANCH OPENED IN GLASGOW—THE FINAL DECISION—BARRHEAD, PAISLEY PROVIDENT, AND JOHNSTONE WITHDRAW.
In the preceding chapter we noted that a proposal was made at one of the general meetings of the Society that branch bakeries should be established. It was a proposal which occasioned a great deal of discussion and was the cause of several heated debates during the next few years, and it is therefore important enough to merit a chapter to itself. The idea was first mooted at the quarterly meeting held in December 1871, when Johnstone Society delegates in the course of a general discussion brought forward the suggestion “that the Baking Society should think of the possibility of opening branch establishments as their business extends.” The idea was favourably entertained then; but it was obviously impossible to do anything at the time, and it was not until the quarterly meeting which was held on 30th November 1872, exactly a year later, that anything further was heard of the subject.
At that meeting a general discussion took place “as to the desirability of opening a branch bakery in Paisley or Johnstone.” The matter ultimately dropped for the time being, but it was left with the committees of Johnstone, Paisley Provident, and Paisley Equitable societies “to make inquiries in their respective localities as to a suitable place for the business, which could be rented, leased, or bought, the probable cost, and all other information that may be necessary, and forward the information obtained at as early a date as possible to the committee.” The Johnstone committee were especially enthusiastic about the proposal, and before next quarterly meeting a report was in the hands of the committee. This report was read to the delegates at the next general meeting of the Society, and a general conversation took place in the course of which the opinion was expressed that however desirable it might be that the Society should branch out in the manner indicated, it was inexpedient that it should be done then in view of the state of the Society’s affairs. The committee of Johnstone Society were, therefore, thanked for the trouble they had taken over the business and for the report which they had prepared. It was also agreed that this report be printed and circulated amongst the members of the Federation, and that the subject be brought up at next quarterly meeting.