M‘NEIL STREET.
INCREASING TRADE—THE DIRECTORS’ DILEMMA—M‘NEIL STREET GROUND
PURCHASED—THE NEW BAKERY: BUILDING DIFFICULTIES—THE OPENING
CEREMONY—AN UP-TO-DATE BAKERY—PROPAGANDA WORK—RECOGNISING LOYAL
SERVICE—A STABLE INSPECTOR—FINANCE—AN INVESTMENT—THE PURCHASE OF
FLOUR—A SOCIAL MEETING AND ITS OBJECT—A RIGHT OF WAY CASE—THE NEW
BAKERY COMPLETED—A NEW VENTURE—THE CHAIRMAN RETIRES—ALL-ROUND
INCREASES.
At the end of the preceding chapter we saw that the trade of the Society
had become so large that it was forcing the question of a new bakery on
the attention of the directors. With the purpose in view of securing the
necessary capital, the sub-committee advertised the St James Street
premises for sale, but the only offer they received was one to lease the
premises. As this was of no use for their purpose at the moment nothing
further was done. Circumstances, and the policy of the committee, were
responsible for the still more rapid increase of trade. In the beginning
of 1885 the price of flour went up with a rush, but as the Federation
was in the happy position of having bought a large quantity of flour
just before the rise they were able to continue selling their bread at
the old price while the other bakers had to raise it, with the result
that the trade continued to increase very rapidly. One of the results of
this rapid increase in trade was that the Society was once again placed
in the position of being compelled to refuse orders because of its
inability to execute them. For this reason Blantyre and Burnbank
societies, which had made proposals to join the Federation, had to be
refused for the time being.
The directors were literally at their wits end. They could not sell
their premises. Unless they got new premises they could not hope to
provide for the trade which came pouring in in ever-increasing volume,
and they did not know what was the best thing to do. To begin with they
got a firm of architects, Messrs Bruce & Hay, to prepare a sketch plan
for a new bakery on the St James Street site which would contain
twenty-four ovens, together with ample accommodation for storing flour,
and stables, a breadroom, and a van yard. When the architects came to
prepare their plans, however, they found that the space available was
not large enough to give all the accommodation desired. The plans, when
submitted, showed a bakery with twenty-three ovens, stable accommodation
for nineteen horses, van shed, offices, breadroom, and store, and the
cost was estimated at £6,200.
The committee decided that before they would proceed further they would
consider carefully the progress which had been made by the Society in
the ten years which had elapsed since 1875, and this study of the work
which had been done showed that the ratio of increase in trade had grown
larger in the two years immediately preceding 1885, while the trade
which was being done at the moment warranted them in believing that this
rate of progress would be maintained. This being so, the conclusion at
which they arrived was that, even if they did build at St James Street,
only a few years would elapse before the accommodation would be too
small. They decided, therefore, to bring their difficulties before the
quarterly meeting and leave the decision with them.
PURCHASE OF M‘NEIL STREET GROUND.
Three schemes were laid before the quarterly meeting, including the
rebuilding of the St James Street premises, which, however, the
directors deprecated. The proposals were discussed at length by the
meeting, but no decision was arrived at, the question being remitted
back to the committee for further consideration and inquiry. The
questions which were remitted for consideration were: The cost of land
in or near Glasgow, and the cost of erecting thereon a bakery large
enough to meet the wants of all the members; or, alternatively, the cost
of land in or near Paisley, and the cost of erecting a branch bakery
there large enough to meet the demands for bread from the societies in
the West.
There was evidently a desire to reopen the question of a branch in
Paisley, which had been closed since the end of 1876, but the delegates
to the special meeting which was held on 11th July to hear the report of
the committee on the question of whether a new central bakery should be
built or whether they should content themselves with a branch in or near
Paisley, decided by an overwhelming majority in favour of a central
bakery in Glasgow, and remitted to the committee the selection of a
site.
The sub-committee went about their business of securing a site
expeditiously, with the result that at the meeting which was held on
22nd August they were able to inform the committee of two sites, one in
Fauld’s Park, Govan, the price of which was 12/6 per yard; and the other
at M‘Neil Street, costing 15/6 per square yard. It was also intimated
that the latter site had some buildings on it which might be of use to
the Society. The members of the committee visited both sites, and after
having inspected them came to the conclusion that the M‘Neil Street one
was best suited to their purpose, and empowered the sub-committee to
offer £4,000 for it, with power to go to £4,500 if necessary. At the
meeting of committee which was held on 19th September it was intimated
that the “Nursery Mills,” M‘Neil Street, had been bought for £4,500,
that a deposit of £500 had been made, and that the keys had been given
up to the Society. The property had been insured for £1,000. The engine
and boiler in the building were inspected, and Messrs Bruce & Hay were
instructed to prepare plans of a bakery containing twenty-four ovens, a
travelling oven for biscuits, and three or four ovens for pastry, as
well as van sheds, stabling, etc. On 13th October the committee
empowered the officials to pay the full cost of the site and take
possession of the title deeds. It was also decided to dispose of the
boilers contained in the property, and at a later date, of the engines;
the total sum received being £207, 10s.
When the plans for the new bakery were submitted to the committee
decided disapproval was expressed, on the ground that the site was not
being utilised to the best advantage, that the existing buildings were
not being used, although they were worth from £1,200 to £1,300, and that
provision was made in the plan for a courtyard out of all proportion to
the requirements of the Society. It was decided to ask the architect to
prepare other plans, and instructions were given that the buildings at
present on the site were not to be interfered with, and that another
architect was also to be asked to prepare plans, with the same
instructions. At the same time it was agreed to sell the St James Street
property for £4,500 if a sale could be effected, and if not that it be
rented, the rent to be £300 per annum. For the next week or two the
committee met weekly. On plans being submitted for the second time those
of Messrs Bruce & Hay were adopted, with some alterations suggested by
the committee, and a building committee was appointed to supervise the
work of erecting the bakery. Some little difficulty was experienced,
however, in getting the plans through the Dean of Guild Court. Objection
was taken at the Court to the fact that the stable gangway was not
fireproof, and the plans were sent back for alteration. Presumably all
was in order at their next presentation, for nothing further appears in
the minutes on the subject. An inspector of works was appointed for the
job, contracts were fixed up, and the work commenced. The financing of
the building scheme was also considered by the committee, and they
agreed to appeal to the societies for the necessary money, at the same
time recommending, as an inducement to the societies to subscribe, that
the interest on the loan capital be increased from 4½ per cent. to 5 per
cent. This recommendation was agreed to by the delegates to the
quarterly meeting, and the committee were also empowered to reopen the
private loan fund if they considered such a course advisable. One result
of the decision of the quarterly meeting was that at the committee
meeting held a fortnight later it was reported that already £2,080 had
been received as loans from three societies—Thornliebank, Glasgow
Eastern, and Kinning Park—while 150 additional shares had been
allocated. At the same meeting the Secretary intimated an offer from
Kilbarchan Court, A.O.F., offering £400 on loan. This kind offer the
committee had to decline, however, on the ground that the loan fund was
as yet only open to Co-operative societies.
BUILDING DIFFICULTIES.
The building work was proceeding satisfactorily, but the same could not
be said of the joiner work. The Dean of Guild Court had been pushing the
Society to get the work of barricading the building and laying down a
pavement done The joiner had erected the barricade and made the footpath
in M‘Neil Street, but refused to do this in Govan Street, stating that
he would “go to Court first.” The Society had written to him, informing
him that if he did not do the work, for which he had contracted, the
Society would have it done and deduct the cost from his account. There
was also delay in pushing on the joiner work in connection with the
building itself, which was delaying the remainder of the work of
building.
The duties of the committee at this time were arduous and engrossing.
They had set out with the intention of erecting a bakery which would be
second to none in the city, and with this object in view they were not
too bigoted to change their minds when any suggestion was brought to
their notice which was likely to be an improvement on the course they
had decided on. One such alteration was in connection with the new
engine for driving their machinery. The fact that the engine which they
had decided on was too powerful for the work for which it was needed had
been brought to their notice, and they at once made inquiries and
consulted with the maker. After he had given the matter his attention
this also was his opinion, and he therefore offered them a less powerful
engine at a reduction in price of £65, and they decided to have it put
down. Then “with the object of securing the latest improvements in
bakery machinery, a deputation, consisting of the managers, foreman
baker, and two members of the committee, were appointed to visit the
exhibition of bakery machinery at Edinburgh, see the machines at work,
and report.” As one of the results of this visit machinery to the value
of £500 was purchased.
The committee continued to complain of the slow progress which was being
made with the new building, and the architects were appealed to to
endeavour to get the contractors to speed up by putting more men on the
job, but with little success. The lessees of the St James Street
premises had been promised entry by Whitsunday 1887, but as time passed
the committee began to get anxious about their ability to fulfil this
part of their contract. The engines and machinery, also, were ready to
put in, but this could not be done because the other contractors were
behind with their sections. So bad did the position become that
ultimately the committee were forced to put the matter into the hands of
their agent. However, this difficulty also was overcome without further
friction. The lessees of St James Street bakery now began to press for
entry, and the committee were compelled to ask for their forbearance, as
they were afraid that the new bakery would not be ready for occupancy at
the time stated.
It was agreed that a social meeting be held on the occasion of the
opening of the new premises, and that the premises be open to the
general public for inspection during the whole of the opening day. A
band was engaged to play selections in the courtyard for three hours in
the afternoon, and the building was decorated with flags. Finally, such
progress was made with the equipment of the premises that the committee
were in a position to fix 21st May as the opening day, and preparations
for the great event went forward rapidly.
THE OPENING CEREMONY.
The opening ceremony is said to have been one of the most imposing
Co-operative functions ever held in Scotland. The buildings were gay
with flags and bannerettes, while a military band discoursed sweet music
in the courtyard. The premises were thrown open to the public, and it is
estimated that more than 30,000 people passed through the building
between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. More than 500 delegates were present at the
luncheon, when Mr Alexander Fraser, president of the Society, presided.
Stirring speeches were delivered, and the premises were declared open
amid a scene of great enthusiasm.
In the evening a monster social meeting took place in the Wellington
Palace, at which there were present upwards of 1,000 people. Speeches
were delivered by Mr William Maxwell, chairman of the S.C.W.S., and Mr
Henry Murphy, Lanark. It was generally admitted that the demonstration
had proved the greatest advertisement which Co-operation in Scotland had
ever received, and that the virtues of the movement had been brought to
the notice of thousands of people who had never before given it a
thought. The result was that a great impetus was given to the movement
in Glasgow, and the great development of Co-operation in the city which
has made Glasgow a stronghold of the movement began about that time. No
doubt further stimulus has been given from time to time—the Congress of
1890, the opening of the S.C.W.S. central premises in Morrison Street,
the Seaside Homes bazaar, the various Co-operative festivals all had an
influence—but to the Baking Society much of the original impulse is due,
just as to it also—through the refusal of the directors to increase the
price of bread unnecessarily in the early months of the war—the latest
impulse must be credited.
AN UP-TO-DATE BAKERY.
The bakery was planned on what were then the most modern lines. It
contained twenty-eight ovens. Twenty-four of these were Scotch bread
ovens, while three were specially built for the production of pastry,
scones, etc., and one was a revolving oven for the production of pan
loaves. In the original plan there was a proposal for a travelling
biscuit oven, and space for this had been left in the bakery. The flour
loft was on the top floor of the building, and everything was arranged
for convenience and rapidity of output. The facilities provided for an
output of some 700 sacks per week, and when the new premises were
planned it was thought that there would be ample accommodation to meet
the requirements of the Society for a number of years, but so great had
been the development of the Society’s business while the bakery was in
course of erection, and so rapid was the increase when the new premises
were opened, that soon the question of extensions was again to the
front.
PROPAGANDA WORK.
In tracing in a connected form the work of the committee in deciding on
and carrying through the work of erecting the new bakery, however, we
have been compelled to leave other important work unnoted. Just at the
time when the discussion of the proposals for a new bakery was taking
place intimation was received from Kilbarchan Society of that society’s
intention to begin baking on their own account. The letter from the
society was read to the meeting which was called to consider the
erection of a new bakery, but had no effect on the decision, and shortly
afterwards the Kilbarchan people changed their minds about baking for
themselves and decided to remain members of the Federation. It was
otherwise with some of the societies further west. Greenock East-End
Society withdrew in September, Greenock Central and Paisley Equitable
soon afterwards, while Partick Society was in a bad way, and a
deputation from the board was sent to the committee of that society in
order to try and make some arrangement about regular payments. This they
were able to do, as the Partick committee agreed to pay for the bread
they received at the end of every week, at the same time making payments
toward the reduction of the balance which they owed the Federation.
But if societies were withdrawing as they became strong enough to start
bakeries of their own, other societies were coming in to take their
places, while the societies in Glasgow were growing stronger and
stronger. Gilbertfield and Cambuslang societies joined up early in 1885;
Cessnock Society, an offshoot from Kinning Park, became a member a month
or two later. South-Eastern Society and Parkhead, two societies which
had been members in the early days but had withdrawn, were again
admitted to membership; Renfrew Society again became purchasers; Newton
Mearns and Maryhill societies became members; Westmuir Economical
Society became a purchaser and, later, a member. Newton Society also
joined the Federation, and Blairdardie returned to the fold after an
absence of several years. Then came Hallside, and by the end of April
1888, Shettleston, making the thirty-sixth member of the Federation. All
this increase in the membership was not spontaneous, however; it was the
reward of much propaganda work, the writing of many letters and the
paying of many visits by the members of the committee. They were
building, and, later, they had built a huge bakery. It was their
intention that it should be working to its full capacity at the earliest
possible moment, and so they went about their propaganda in a systematic
manner, dividing up the area into districts, which were placed in charge
of certain members of the committee, to be worked up at every
opportunity.
RECOGNISING LOYAL SERVICE.
During the whole of the time which it took to build the new bakery the
Society was working at a disadvantage. Notwithstanding the leasing,
first of Scotland Street bakery and then of that in Hill Street, it was
impossible to keep pace with the demand for bread. The result was that
the committee decided to sound the foreman baker on the question of
whether the men would be willing to begin work an hour earlier in the
mornings. The men when approached agreed readily, and thus the
difficulty was met to some extent. In recognition of this willingness on
the part of the men to meet them, the board decided spontaneously to
advance the men’s wages by 1/ per week. One cannot help but contrast
this willingness of the men to help the Society in a difficulty with
incidents which have occurred at later dates, when the bakers could not
be induced on any terms to work extra hours in order that difficulties
might be overcome. The first attitude rather than the second one is that
which makes for the avoidance of friction and the creation of a
fraternal spirit between the directors of a Co-operative concern and
their fellow-members who carry on the work of the Society. It is,
unfortunately, a fact which is to be deprecated that employees are
disposed to treat Co-operative societies worse instead of better than
they treat other employers, and the process of reasoning which leads to
such results is somewhat difficult to follow.
A STABLE INSPECTOR.
Away back in the second year of the Federation’s existence Mr Ballantyne
had been appointed stable inspector to the Society. The appointment had
been made by the committee, but evidently the committee of the period
with which we are dealing were unable to find any record of the fact,
and seem to have taken exception to his work, which, according to one
minute, “was independent of the board, and how or when he had been
appointed could not be discovered.” The difficulty was not a great one,
however. It was remitted to the sub-committee for investigation and,
doubtless, a consultation with Mr Ballantyne, the gentleman in question,
would put them on the track of the necessary information. Mr Ballantyne,
during practically the whole period of the Society’s existence, had
exercised supervision over the horses which were the property of the
Society. He made a regular examination, and recommended the committee to
dispose of horses which he considered unfitted for the work of the
Society. The committee were evidently satisfied with the report which
was made to them, for at the next meeting they endorsed and confirmed Mr
Ballantyne’s appointment and agreed to pay 20/ a quarter for a monthly
report from him on the condition of horses, vans, and all matters
connected with the stable department—the appointment to be an annual
one.
FINANCE.
The question of the proper depreciation of the property, fixed and live
stock of the Society, to which attention had been called by the auditors
on many occasions, had not yet been placed on a satisfactory basis. The
committee brought in several amendments of rules for the purpose of
putting the matter right, but these were not accepted by the delegates;
nor was a counter proposal, that a sum of £200 be taken from the reserve
fund and applied to reducing the value of the horses and plant. This
latter proposal received a majority of the votes at the quarterly
meeting, but as a majority of three-fourths of those voting was
necessary before any money could be withdrawn from the reserve fund, and
the majority was not large enough, both proposals dropped, and the old,
unsatisfactory position continued. At a later date the question was
again brought up by Mr Macintosh, who, in response to a request by the
committee, outlined a scheme for putting this important branch of the
Society’s financial arrangements on a sound footing. The practice had
been to allocate a certain percentage of the profits each quarter to
depreciation account; Mr Macintosh urged that for this method they
should substitute that of allocating a fixed percentage of the initial
cost, and that this should be regarded as a charge on the trade of the
Society and should be allocated before the profits were ascertained and
irrespective of whether there were any profits. The committee were in
favour of the proposed alteration, but considered the time inopportune
to have it made as so large a proportion of the property was
unproductive at that time. They therefore decided to delay the matter
for twelve months. It was not until the end of 1888 that depreciation
was put on a satisfactory basis.
AN INVESTMENT.
It was during this period that the Scottish Co-operative Farming
Association came into being. The Bakery board were supporters of the
proposal from the first. In discussing the subject the committee took
into consideration the fact that they were spending nearly £200 a
quarter for feeding-stuffs and buttermilk for baking purposes, and they
thought that if such an association was in existence a large proportion
of these articles could be got from the farm. They agreed, therefore, to
recommend to the delegates at the quarterly meeting that a special
general meeting be held to consider the advisability of becoming members
of the Farming Association. When this meeting was held it was agreed
that £50 be invested in the funds of the association. Unfortunately,
however, the speculation did not turn out a success, as, after
struggling on for several years, the association had to succumb to
adverse circumstances.
For some considerable time there was a certain amount of looseness in
conducting the stable, and the result was that finally the committee
felt compelled to make a change there by dispensing with the services of
the foreman. There was trouble at Hill Street also for a time, but
eventually this was overcome. For some considerable time, however, both
before and after the opening of the new bakery, the complaints about the
quality of the bread, which for some years had been almost negligible,
revived, and sometimes the committee at the monthly meetings had letters
from as many as a dozen societies. The causes of complaint were various,
but seemed persistent for a time.
Once before the S.C.W.S. had thought that they had reason to complain of
the share of the U.C.B.S. trade in flour which was being put past them,
and after two or three years had passed the same subject came up again
through a deputation from the Wholesale Society waiting on the Baking
Society’s Board. The whole subject was gone into minutely, and the
Wholesale deputation were told plainly that while the U.C.B.S. directors
had every desire to trade with the Wholesale Society they could not do
so while such a discrepancy existed between the prices which the
Wholesale Society charged for flours and those at which similar flours
could be purchased elsewhere. The result of this first meeting was that
a second meeting was arranged between representatives of the two
societies, when the whole subject was investigated. Both committees, it
is stated, “received from each other much valuable information which
would be advantageous to both societies.”
Reference has already been made to the propagandist work carried on by
the directors at this time. Amongst other work of a propagandist nature,
they held, in the autumn of 1887, a social meeting, to which the
employees of the various societies dealing with them were invited. The
object of the social gathering was twofold. In the first place, they
wished to give the employees a good time; but they had also an ulterior
object in view, and so they took advantage of the opportunity given by
the social meeting to bring to the notice of the employees the good
which accrued to Co-operators generally by making the Co-operative
movement self-contained and self-supplying, as far as that was possible.
It is not possible to say whether this first attempt to secure the
co-operation of the employees in pushing the wares of the Society met
with much visible success, but it was one of those efforts from which
something might be gained but by which nothing could be lost. Since that
day the Co-operative employee has been a frequent visitor at social
gatherings convened by the U.C.B.S.
In the course of the propaganda campaign carried out by the directors,
some peculiar proposals were made to them. By the committee of one
society the deputation were informed that the private bakers from whom
bread was being bought not only supplied the shops, but delivered bread
at the members’ houses as well. In addition, they carried goods from the
shops to the members and, in general, acted as delivery vans for the
society. Nor was this all. In addition to delivering the bread to the
members’ houses, they went the length of absolving the society from
responsibility for loss through non-payment by the members of their
bread accounts. The Baking Society could not hope to compete against
such practices, and the directors said so. In other instances the
societies were prepared to assume responsibility for payment of the
bread supplied to members if only the Baking Society’s van would deliver
it, and the committee were willing to entertain this proposal, but the
quarterly meeting of the Baking Society decided that bread should be
supplied to shops only of customer societies.
A RIGHT OF WAY CASE.
A paragraph of a rather peculiar character appears in the last minute
for 1885. At that time the committee were in the thick of their
preparations for the new bakery, and must have been extremely busy.
Nevertheless, some time during the month, a letter was received which
must have worried the secretary and the sub-committee not a little. It
was signed “Thomas Mann,” and was as follows:—
“Gentlemen,—As aiders and abettors in the Kilbarchan Right of Way
case I have to inform you that the expenses, amounting to £850. are
still unpaid, and that unless an arrangement is made with my law
agent within eight days an action will be raised against you in the
Court of Session for the full amount.”
The manager had replied wishing to know on what authority Mr Mann had
taken it upon himself to state that the Society were aiders and abettors
in the action referred to; and in reply was referred to a paragraph in
the Paisley newspaper of 15th July 1883, in which the Co-operative
Baking Society, Kinning Park, was published as one of the abettors. Mr
Mann had no doubt that the statement was correct, and warned the Society
that it was necessary to attend to his former letter at once to save
future trouble. The Bakery board replied to threat by threat. If any
further communication was received from Mr Mann, the matter was to be
put into the hands of the Society’s law agent, who was to raise an
action against him for trying to extort money on false pretences, as the
Society had never paid any money to assist in the “Right of Way” case.
Nothing more seems to have been heard of the subject, for nothing
further appears in the minutes regarding it.
In August 1887 the building committee, having completed their labours,
were thanked for their services, and dissolved. The buildings, plant,
and stocks in the new bakery were insured for £16,000, while the
buildings and plant in St James Street were insured for £2,000. About
this time the directors were called on to consider some grievances under
which the employees, and particularly the vanmen, alleged that they
suffered. The first of those had reference to attendance at the stables
on Sundays. The committee made investigations, and came to the
conclusion that no grievance was suffered. Attendance on Sundays to look
after the comfort of the horses was not work, they decided, but an act
of mercy, which was not paid for anywhere. The other grievance—that the
vanmen by the nature of their work did not get regular holidays “and had
no opportunity of going to the coast with their families”—the directors
thought well founded, and they decided to allow three consecutive days
to each man in future, in addition to the holidays they at present
received; stipulating, however, that no two men were to be on holiday at
the same time.
A NEW VENTURE.
In September, after the new bakery was opened, the Society began the
baking of morning rolls, a branch of trade which immediately became
popular with the members of the societies. For this trade two light vans
and two fast horses were purchased, and the result was that not only was
a large trade in breakfast rolls done, but the bread trade increased
rapidly also. The baking of rolls had, as a matter of fact, cut the last
link which chained some of the societies to the private baker. The
bakers did not surrender the trade of the societies without a struggle,
however. Finding that they were ousted from the roll trade, they turned
their attention to buns as a means of recapturing the lost trade, and
for a time they were successful with a number of the societies. But the
Bakery directors were alive to the danger, and ere long they also were
baking buns at M‘Neil Street.
THE CHAIRMAN RETIRES.
Having seen the new premises in full operation, Mr Fraser came to the
conclusion that the time had come when he should resign his position as
president of the Society. During his seven years of office he had seen
the trade doubled; he had seen the handsome new bakery erected and
opened; and he had seen the Society established in an unassailable
position. While a member of the committee, during the presidency of Mr
Brown, and while he had been president, he had been a hard worker for
the success of the Society, and well deserved the words of eulogy in
which Mr Slater conveyed the thanks of the committee to him at the last
meeting of the board before his retiral. He was succeeded by Mr John
Ferguson, Glasgow Eastern Society.
Inside a month or two, he was followed into retirement by Mr Thomas
Slater, secretary. Mr Slater had been elected secretary in 1875 when Mr
Smith became manager, and had discharged the duties of his office
faithfully and well. At the time of his retiral, and indeed for many
years before then, he had the longest record of service on the board of
the Society. Mr Peter Glasse, St George, succeeded him.
INCREASES ALL ROUND.
At the end of 1887 the Society was doing a trade of over 410 sacks per
week, and in the first month of the new year 600 new shares were granted
to societies. By the end of the 77th quarter the trade had risen to 446
sacks per week, and a dividend of 1/3 was paid. The increases which were
taking place in the numbers of shares held by the societies pointed to
increases in membership, and therefore to opportunities for increased
trade by the Federation. The directors were fully alive to this phase of
the subject, and although they were still a considerable distance from
producing the full capacity of the bakery, it was becoming evident that
if the present rate of increase continued that limit would soon be
reached. At the same time they could be pardoned if they felt that the
delegates were not as appreciative of the work which was being done as
they might have been. This lack of appreciation was shown in a
remarkable and unprecedented manner at the 76th quarterly meeting of the
Society when, by a majority of two votes, it was decided to reduce the
payments made to them for their services from 3/ to 2/ per meeting. Lack
of appreciation could hardly have gone further short of asking them to
resign in a body. It was a very shabby return for the years of strenuous
work which had made the Baking Society that outstanding instance of
Co-operative enterprise which it had become. The directors went on with
their work calmly, however, content to merit, even if they did not
receive, the appreciation to which their efforts for the success of the
Federation entitled them.