From the beginning until 1905 the S.C.W.S. had only paid half dividend on flour purchases. The directors had been approached by the Baking Society’s board on more than one occasion to have this practice altered, but without success. However, at the beginning of 1905 the S.C.W.S. directors decided that in future they would pay full dividend on flour on all new contracts. They were again approached by the U.C.B.S. directors, who had a large contract for flour placed with the S.C.W.S. at the moment, to extend the privilege to contracts at present running, but this they were unable to do. The financial standing of the Society was improving with every year that passed, and in 1905 they found that notwithstanding the very large additions which had been made recently to land and buildings the shares and reserves covered all but 11½ of the total. At the quarterly meeting held in March 1905 it was agreed that the Society take out ten shares in the North Wales Quarries Society, and at a later meeting this number was increased to 100. Unfortunately, this society, which had been formed to provide work for slate miners out of work because of a trade dispute, did not prosper, and after a few years of a precarious life was forced to go into liquidation.
On several occasions the Baking Society placed orders for biscuit cartons in America until they were able to procure such goods at home. One such order, placed in 1905, was for 100,000 cartons. They were also utilising motors to some extent for bread delivery, and, in addition to their first purchase, other two were now bought. In September of this year—1905—another attempt was made to get the C.W.S. to acknowledge the Baking Society’s invoices, but again without success. The contention of the C.W.S. directors all the time was that they were quite able to do all the trade in England, and that therefore the U.C.B.S. did not require to go there at all.
The relations of the directors with their employees have always been cordial, and whenever conditions of trade have permitted concessions in a shorter working week and in wages, where these were not regulated by national agreements, were made from time to time. One such concession was made in 1905, when the hours of the girls in the packing flat were reduced from fifty-one to fifty per week without any request from the employees.
From time to time, also, meetings of the board with the heads of the various departments took place, so that the directors might place before them the nature of the complaints, suggestions, etc., which came from societies, and solicit their co-operation in extending and consolidating the business through the production of first-class goods and speedy distribution. At one meeting of the board, held shortly after the close of Paisley Congress, a special vote of thanks to the manager, purveyor, and heads of departments was recorded for the efficient manner in which all the work of purveying for that huge assembly had been carried out.
During the period under review Messrs Scott (engineer) and Richard (bread baking manager) had made some improvements on a type of draw-plate oven. These alterations were patented in the joint names of the two gentlemen and the Baking Society, and arrangements were made with Messrs Baker & Son, bakery engineers, London, for the manufacture of the oven. Messrs Scott and Richard were also the joint inventors of a divider and moulding machine.
THE SOCIETY’S POSITION.
Much important work was done in the three years from 1902 to 1905. Clydebank bakery was erected; Belfast Bakery was commenced, as was St Mungo Halls, and both were nearing completion; three tenements of houses had been erected in Govan Street, with shops on the street level, and these shops were ultimately all occupied by Kinning Park Society. One result of this policy was that the Baking Society ceased to retain the bread damaged in manufacture, and this trade was taken over by Kinning Park Society. Henceforth, until for a short time they retailed the bread they made in Rothesay Bakery, the Society did a wholesale business only. Notwithstanding the opening of Clydebank Bakery, the sales of loaf bread from M‘Neil Street were greater than they had been at the beginning of the period, while the turnover in smallbread, oatcakes, and biscuits had all increased considerably, and the total production for the last six months of the period under review was 92,336 sacks for the three bakeries, as compared with 73,821 at the beginning of 1902. During the four years the membership had increased by thirty-four societies, and the value of the sales by £61,092 for six months. The rate of surplus had been fluctuating between 2/ per £ and 1/8 per £, and for one half-year it was 2/2.
Big things were also in prospect. The need for new offices was forcing itself on the attention of the directors; and, with the prospect of increased trade in front of them, consideration was already being given to the utilisation of their ground at the north-west corner of South York Street, although the time for extensions there had not yet arrived.
CHAPTER XVI.
FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH.
STEADY PROGRESS—EXTENSIONS—NEW OFFICES—THE QUALITY OF THE BREAD—THE TEAROOMS—ORDERS FROM EGYPT—ORGANISATION—A SPECIAL COMMITTEE—MR ALEXANDER HAMILTON RETIRES—THE SOCIETY JOINS GLASGOW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE—AUSTRIAN CO-OPERATORS VISIT THE BAKERY—ANOTHER UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS—RAILWAYMEN’S CONGRESS ENTERTAINED—BAND SUCCESSES—PROPAGANDA WORK—CLYDEBANK BAKERY SECURES FIRST PRIZE FOR BREAD AT S.C.W.S. BAKING COMPETITION—THE SOCIETY AND ITS EMPLOYEES—COMPULSORY TRADE UNIONISM—A SHORTER WORKING WEEK—THE OLDEST SCOTTISH SOCIETY—THE CO-OPERATIVE INSURANCE SOCIETY.