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.
JOHNSTONE SOCIETY’S REPORT.
The report of the Johnstone Society is so interesting and throws so much light on the affairs of the Federation that it is worthy of being printed in full, as issued in circular form by the Bakery committee.
To the Committee of Management and Delegates representing the United Co-operative Baking Society Limited, Glasgow.
Gentlemen,—Having been appointed at your quarterly meeting, held 30th November 1872, to report on the results which would be likely to flow from your Society having a branch bakery in Johnstone, we respectfully beg to offer the following for your consideration.
The advantages which the promoters of your Society saw in having a “united management, a concentration of labour, and a combined purchasing power,” is nearly, if not altogether, neutralised by the high cost of your productive and distributive departments; ten shillings a sack is, we believe, something unknown in Scotland as the cost of baking and distributing common loaf bread, and in your establishment it cannot be set down even at this high rate, as your auditors at last quarterly meeting warned us that the depreciation of your fixed stock was not commensurate to its “tear and wear,” and we believe investigation during the quarter now ended has brought out that your liabilities in direct debts were greater than was accounted for in your balance of October last.
This being the case, it is a duty incumbent on all to examine into and see if anything can be done to remove the obstruction to progress and place the Federation on a sound and stable basis, beneficial alike to individual and to the union of societies.
To do this reforms of more or less consequence may require to be introduced, but the one on which we are commissioned to report, and which appears to us as the most urgent, and the most likely in being effectual in removing the evils complained of, is the setting down of a branch in Johnstone, or some other place, where a great amount of distributive expense could be saved at a small outlay.