Help us improve Papers Past. We value your opinion. Tell us about your experience using Papers Past by taking a short survey.
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

REMARKABLE SUCCESS OF CO-OPERATIVE TRADING.

THE FARMERS' UNION TRADING CO. (AUCK.), LTD. THIS GREAT CO-OPERATIVE STILL FORGING AHEAD. Ten years ago a number of Farmers got together and formed in Auckland a cooperative society under the name of the Farmers' Union Indenting and Trading Association. This modest organisation grew steadily in membership land volume of trade until, in 1916, it was decided in the interests of members, and in order to prepare for future expansion, to convert the trading association into the Farmers' Union Trading Company (Auckland), Ltd. This co-operative company m>ade good progress for about two years and then, after acquiring the business of Laidlaw Leeds, it began to go ahead at a rate unequalled 1 by any other concern in New Zealand. While the company increased its mail order business at the Auckland warehouse, it also rapidly developed a direct retail trade by establishing thirty-one distributing depots throughout the province. This was a bold move, but results fully justified the company's enterprise for these branches have been highly successful, in every case registering ka big increase in sales under the Farmers' Union Trading Company's policy and management. These branch stores have been a success because they were wanted. Farmers and country residents realise that it pays in every way to buy from stores of which they themselves are the owners. The Trading Company's co-operative stores are located at Buckland, Hangatiki, Huntly, Kaitaia', Katikati, Kopaki, Kutarere, Maketu, Maungatapere, Netherton, Ngaruawahia, Onewhero Ongarue, Opotiki, Otewa, Otoroh«anga, Pacngaroa, Paeroa, Papakura, Piopio, Portland, Pukekohe, Raglan, Te Kuiti, Te Puke, Torere, Tuakau, Waitomo, Wellsford, Whakapara, Whangarei. London and New York Offices.

Not only as distributers of merchandise has this „co-operative company followed a progressive policy, but also as importers and manufacturers. It has its own buying offices in London »and New York so that it may keep in close touch with the best sources of supply and save every penny of profit for its shareholders. It owns and operates factories in Auckland for the manufacture of footwear, saddlery, and furniture. It has its own te«a and grocery packing department in which only first-grade goods are put up under the company's well-known " Unity " and " Rival " labels.

The most recent forward move of the Farmers' Union Trading Company is a motor delivery service for customers in Auckland city and suburbs. Vans go twice weekly to Green Lane, Partiell, Newmarket, Remuera, Epsom, Mount Eden, Dominion Road, Morningside, Mount Albert, Newton, Grey Lynn, Herne Bay, and Ponsonby. This delivery is free for all general lines. Special arrangements have to be made for produce and m*anures in quantities over lcwt., or for bulk lines such as corrugated iron, tanks, wire, piping, ranges, asbestos, etc.

In order that city folk may get the full 'benefits of co-operative trading, the company has been offering "B" preference shares, -which entitle the holders to a fixed cumulative preferential dividend of 6 per cent., free of income tax, and to the folio-wing guaranteed rebates off pur- : chases: —2£ per cent, off groceries, flour, sugar, and kerosene; 5 per cent, off drapery, clothing, furniture, bedding, boots, saddlery, jewellery, stationery, farm implements, seeds, crockery, tend hardware (except roofing iron, wire, cement, lime, and galvanized piping). East year the Farmers' Union Trading Company paid to its shareholders £20,152 as rebates off purchases, individual cheques ranging from a few pounds to £127. Great Demand for Shares. The advantages of being a shareholder in this co-operative are so substantial that one is not surprised to learn that the company's shares are being rapidly taken up. About three years ago the Fanners' Union Trading Company had 3027 shareholders; to-day it has 15,190 —the largest shsare list of any company in New Zealand. The company's subscribed' capital at the beginning of this month was £552,435, and the paid-up capital £382,710. An average of oTier 400 new shareholders per monfch are investing in the capitis! of this co-operative, applications coming in from all over the North Island and even from the South Seas.

It may not be generally known that the Farmers' Union Trading Company has hundreds of customers and shareholders in Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Cook, Society, and Niue lslanfle, New Caledbnia and Hebrides, and runs a special department to take care of their orders. Recently a Fiji planter took up 1500 shares. Another shareholder in Fiji wrote:—'T will stick to the company as long as it will stick to me—that's fair enough. lam so certain that your company must rise to gigantic success in the future that if I had the sum of £1000 at my disposal, I would put the whole lot into it."

Evidently the Farmers' Union Trading Company's service to settlers in the Island's is giving satisfaction and is also warmly appreciated.

One difficulty under -which the company has been lahouring for some time has been the lack of sufficient space for its enormous stocks of merchandise tend the activities of its hundreds of employees. Fortunately, the huge extension that it has been malting to its' present warehouse is now nearing completion and early in the New Year the company will be housed in the largest and best equipped warehouse in the Dominion. -The extended warehouse will have twelve ctart entrances, six electric lifts, one spiral chute, thirty automatic telephones (each connected by a trunk line to control) inter-department telephones, automatic weighing machine, book-keeping machines, listing and adding machines, calculating machines, cash registers, dictaphones, duplicating machines, all electrically operated. Visitors- to Auckland during Christmas and New Year weeks should take a walk through the Farmers* Union Tri-ading Company's six-storeyed warehouse, corner of Hobson and Wyndham Streets. A special staff is employed by the company to attend to the wants of callers and show them over the warehouse. One can move about freely and inspect the huge stocks of merchandise, comprising everything the fSarmer needs. Such a visit will be an interesting experience and will give one an impressive object lesson in what cooperative trading mean*,

This article text was automatically generated and may include errors. View the full page to see article in its original form.
Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19201217.2.96

Bibliographic details

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17656, 17 December 1920, Page 9

Word Count
988

REMARKABLE SUCCESS OF CO-OPERATIVE TRADING. New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17656, 17 December 1920, Page 9

REMARKABLE SUCCESS OF CO-OPERATIVE TRADING. New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17656, 17 December 1920, Page 9