I approve of co-operation because it is an effort by men to "help themselves." The elementary phase of co-operation was keeping a shop or store, where a number of persons joined their custom and diminished the expense of management by making advantageous purchases through an agency of trained buyers, whose interests were identical with those for whom they bought. Equity and economy were the fundamental principles of cooperation. The goods were bought and sold for ready money no credit was given, and no bad debts were made. Co-operative Stores were not introduced to undersell the tradesmen, but the object was for a number of men to buy wholesale, charge the ordinary retail prices, and divide the profits equitably amongst the purchasers in proportion to their expenditure. The Civil Service and similar Stores have gone on the opposite plan of trying to undersell the shopkeepers; for a time the effort was successful, because allowance was not made for deterioration of stock, and increased expenses; but at the present time, ready money buyers can purchase what they require as advantageously, or more so, of the tradesmen than at the Stores; whilst, in proportion to the number started, time failures have been much greater than among shopkeepers.

The co-operation I am advocating is what was originally intended-viz., a movement for improving the condition of the working class. I value it as an intelligent means of "self -