Welsh Journals

The Welsh Agricultural Organisation Society. By Hugh James, Secretary, Welsh Agricultural Organisation Society. THE year 1923 marks the coming of age of the oldest of the Welsh agricultural co- operative societies. These were estab- lished mostly as a result of the campaign undertaken by Mr. W. A. Brigstocke, of Blaenpant, Cardigan, in 1901-the year of the formation of the Agricultural Organisation Society, familiarly known since as the "A.O.S." The societies which come of age this year are Lledrod Agricultural Society-reputed to be the first co-operative society formed in Wales, although it was not the first registered. The Vale of Tivy Agricultural Co-operative Society (Cardigan). Emlyn Agricultural Society. New Quay Agricultural Society. W. Breconshire Farmers' Association. (Originally the Cradoc Society). All these are still working. The earliest societies which have survived in North Wales are the Dulas Agricultural Co- operative Society, Anglesey; the Llanidloes Farmers' Co-operative Society (1904), and the Penllyn Agricultural Co-operative Society at Bala. The earliest Dairy Society was the Lampeter Dairy Society, which was established about 1908. The oldest which has survived is the Vale of Towy Dairy Farmers' Society, now merged in the West Wales Dairy Farmers' Association. The progress of the movement during these 21 years may best be followed in the statistics given below:- Year. No. of Societies. Members. Turnover. 1903 16 1752 215797 1904 25 1851 24604 (Figures for intervening years not available). 1912 52 6999 288980 1913 63 7941 325224 1914 69 9182 407894 1915 74 10972 519973 1916 80 13002 757536 1917 89 14900 921582 1918 91 16935 875260 1919 114 20233 1372200 1920 122 23034 2077731 1921 121 24189 1848270 A great increase of membership will be noted during the years of war control. The rate of increase will probably slacken, unless the pres- sure of the depression in agriculture makes the individualistic farmer run for the port of the co-operative society in the storm. Welsh agricultural co-operators seem to have been associated with the A.O.S. from its earliest days. When the A.O.S. decided to devolve some of its work on to District Committees, the North Wales section was one of the first in all the country to form a committee. This was in 1910. Although South Wales was ahead in the formation of societies, the S. Wales Com- mittee was not formed until 1914. The work in Wales was fostered by these committees until the A.O.S. was re-organised in 1918, when it was decided:- "As it is recognised that the special con- ditions obtaining in the case of Wales entitle the two Welsh Branches to special treatment, the Province of Wales shall constitute an administrative as well as a consultative and electoral unit." Accordingly a Welsh Provincial Council of 21 members was set up to supervise A.O.S. acti- vities in Wales, subject only to the control of the A.O.S. Governors in matters of policy and finance. This arrangement continued until 1921, when, owing to the impending withdrawal of the grant from the Development Commission, it became necessary to curtail expenditure, and a proposal was laid before the Governors of the A.O.S. that Wales should once more be placed under the immediate control of Head Office in London. The leaders of the Welsh movement, however, were not willing to give up their hard-earned autonomy, and decided that the time was ripe for forming a society for Wales independent of the A.O.S. in London. The Governors of the A.O.S. gave their ready assent to the proposal, and made satisfactory arrangements concerning the necessary financial adjustments between the parent society and the Welsh A.O.S. The new Society took over the work on the 1st April, 1922, under the direction of a Provisional Com- mittee, consisting of Messrs. W. J. Percy Player (Chairman), Clydach, Major-General Sandbach, Llanfyllin Mr. R. Williams Ellis, Chwilog; Mr. Ben John, Clynderwen; Mr. H. Jones Davies, Nantgaredig; Mr. I. D. Thomas, Morriston; Mr. G. E. Hemelryk, Dyserth, Rhyl; and Mr. R. Davies, Dolgelley. This committee drafted rules and presented them to a General Meeting held at Wrexham on July 27th, 1922, when they were approved. The Society was registered on the 26th October, 1922. Provision has been made in the rules to ensure that each district in Wales should be represented on the Council of the W.A.O.S. The country has been divided into five districts, which are convenient areas for the organisation of district conferences. These conferences have the right to appoint ten out of the 20 members of the W.A.O.S. Council elected by society members and subscribing members- These dis- tricts are roughly defined as follows:- Gwynedd.-Anglesey, Carnarvon and the parts of Merioneth and Denbigh adjoining Carnarvon. Clwyd.-Flint, most of Denbigh, and adjoin- ing part of Merioneth.