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.

SCOTLAND COMES TO THE RESCUE.

At this time the position in Belfast warranted fully the optimistic tone in which Mr Gilchrist had spoken three months earlier of its future. The society had been established for fourteen years and its sales were rather more than £30,000 a year. It was not their size, however, but the rapidity with which they were growing which led to the optimism of those who were responsible for the management of the society. In one year they had grown from £5,000 a quarter to £10,000 a quarter. From the one tiny branch in Shanklin Road the society had grown until it was now the owner of four branches, and the members continued to join the society in large numbers. All this the delegates had found out during their visit to Belfast, and they considered that the facts justified the recommendation they were making—that a branch should be established there.

In bringing the recommendation before the delegates the chairman stated that Belfast Society was purchasing at the moment from 400 dozens to 500 dozens of bread weekly, notwithstanding the fact that the bread was a day old before they received it. The membership of Belfast Society was 1,200, and was increasing rapidly, and both manager and committee were of opinion that the trade would be doubled if they had a bakery on the spot which could supply them with new bread daily. While a sum of £2,000 or £3,000 would be sufficient to erect a bakery which would meet present requirements, the idea of the Federation directors was that sufficient land should be acquired and they should build on a plan which would permit of expansion in the future. The directors, he concluded, were unanimously of opinion that not only would a branch bakery be of immediate service to Belfast Society, but that it would consolidate and strengthen the whole movement in the North of Ireland, while it could be established without any serious risk to the Federation. The motion that the proposal of the directors be approved was moved by Mr Duncan of Kinning Park, who had moved the rejection of the proposal to give assistance three months earlier, and the recommendation received the unanimous approval of the delegates.

Thus the fateful decision was taken—a decision which, as Irish Co-operators will be the first to acknowledge, was fraught with possibilities of immense good to Ireland, possibilities which have fructified into actualities as the years have passed. The decision strengthened the hands of Belfast Society at the moment, but it has done far more during the period which has intervened, for the powerful aid which the U.C.B.S. has been ever able and ever willing to render has made it possible for the Irish societies in the North, at a time when no one of them was overburdened with capital, to devote what capital they did possess to the extension of their businesses in other directions, secure in the knowledge that the staff of life was assured to their members for such period as they were able to make reasonable provision for the payment of the services thus rendered.

THE BAKERY.

Having secured the approval of the delegates for their proposals, the first duty which devolved on the directors was that of finding a suitable site. In order that all the members of the committee might be able to come to decisions with the fullest knowledge obtainable, they decided at the outset that they should visit Belfast in a body, and inspect the various sites of which they had information, meantime delaying the final decision. Eight different sites were examined, and, ultimately, the final decision rested between two of these, that at Ravenhill Avenue being the one which finally found favour, at a rental of £80 per annum. Mr W. J. Gililand, Belfast, was appointed architect, and was instructed to prepare plans for a temporary bakery, containing four ovens, to meet immediate needs, before proceeding with plans for the general building. At a later meeting it was decided that the delivery of the bread should be undertaken by Belfast Society, and that special terms should be arranged for this service. By January the temporary building had been commenced, and by the beginning of June was ready to begin operations. Mr George Forshaw, East of Scotland representative, was appointed commercial manager and Irish traveller, and Mr James Moffat, Belfast, foreman baker. Baking was begun on 2nd June, the temporary building having been fitted-up with one Scotch oven and three draw-plate ovens. Unfortunately, a dispute between the architect and the Corporation of Belfast had hindered the erection of the temporary bakery for a little, but, during a special visit paid to Belfast, Mr Young, manager, was able to arrange matters amicably. Nevertheless, the dispute cost the Society over £18 in legal and other expenses.