Fifteen Rumour is a Lying Jade 1916

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Rumour is a Lying Jade

Farmers’ Co-op’s entry into the stock and station arena in Taranaki provided the necessary impetus to form Taranaki’s first Auctioneers’ Association. It was founded on similar lines to associations in other parts of the Dominion, and using the Waikato Association as a blueprint, it came into being on 1 January 1916. Yet a further co-operative initiative was created by N.Z. Farmers’ of Christchurch with the formation of a Farmers’ Co-op Wholesale Federation, which would provide great assistance to affiliated societies in the ability to collaborate in buying and selling. There was indeed an air of change in the Society as it struggled with staffing the growing organisation. With the war in Europe the male work force was severely depleted, with ‘men leaving for the front’. New appointments were being made to fill vacancies resulting from this and the creation of new positions relating to expansion. At this time Mr J. A. Holder, attempting to hold down the positions of general manager and secretary, suffered a serious breakdown in health and resigned from the position. Mr H. A. Williams, a manager who had also been employed by the company’s predecessors for many years and was held in very high esteem as ‘one of the most responsible officers of the Society’, also

Main Street, Waverley, 1913.

COURTESY OF SOUTH TARANAKI MUSEUM

severed his connection. The directors noted ‘that in taking his place Mr Digby will have no sinecure’. Only one month later, on 1 June, Mr N. P. Digby, with many years experience as an auctioneer and salesman with Messrs Pine & Co. of Christchurch, was appointed to take charge of the agency in the Waverley district to conduct the Society’s affairs and Mr C. A. Burke was offered the position of agent at a salary of £3 per week. During the year the Society secured the services of Mr F. J. Hine of Timaru to take charge of the Hawera produce department.

Mr J. G. Nichol who was in the position of acting general manager until a new general manager appointment was made, was eventually appointed secretary of the Society on 1 June 1916, at a salary of £350 per annum. Mr Nichol was in fact one of the few members of the inside management staff who had been with the company since operations commenced, illustrating how fragile the employment infrastructure of the company was at this critical time in its history. He became Hawera branch manager in 1920, a position he held until 1922 when he transferred to Stratford as branch manager. Through Mr E. W. Relph, general manager of Farmers’ Co-operative Association of Canterbury, Mr M. J. Lynskey was eventually appointed as general manager on 19 July 1916, and took up the position in September. He was recommended by Canterbury Farmers, where he had been the manager. His nearly 26 years experience in the stock and station industry had started with the Canterbury Farmers’ Association, where he had held positions of accountant, auctioneer in charge of the Ashburton stock business, and organising auctioneer for Christchurch. He had been promoted to manage the various Canterbury branches of the company. He was well known in sporting circles, having been New Zealand half-mile champion in 1900–01, and represented the Canterbury Rugby Union. His tenure with the Farmers’ Co-op was somewhat brief, however, as in 1918 he retired. The precise reason for his sudden departure is unknown but perhaps chairman Alex Hunter’s remarks to shareholders at the 1917 annual meeting throw some light on the subject: Mr Lynskey took up his duties at the beginning of September, and thus controlled the business for the past seven months of the year. He had of course, to adapt himself to conditions somewhat different to those existing in Canterbury, while the application of his training to our business has produced a marked improvement. I wish to correct an idea that has by some means gained currency, to the effect that Mr Lynskey has plucked the Society back from perdition or thereabouts. Mr Lynskey would no doubt bear me out in this. Since its first throes this Society has never looked back, and has gradually gained strength and after their experience the directors were of the opinion when making a selection that even in the face of indifferent government by its board and management by its executive officer it would still succeed to a limited extent. They also are confident that under good management there are huge possibilities to be attained.

Mr J. G. Nichol, acting general manager and secretary of The Farmers’ Co-operative Organisation Society of New Zealand Ltd, 1916.

Mr Lynskey’s position was filled by Mr Thomas Taylor, a banker from Waverley. With 2,273 shareholders now on the Society’s books, many wanted a say about some aspect of the Society’s affairs. The Company played such a huge part in their day-to-day lives as financier, seller and buyer of almost all their worldly possessions, it was not surprising that rumour and speculation became the norm and required careful public management from time to time, as was the case in connection with the non payment of cheques: It has been rumoured that cheques have been held back at times, but I have the assurance of the management that in no case has this been so, except where enquiry was necessary, or where through press of work and shortage of staff it was found impossible to get the cheques out on time. ‘Rumour is a lying jade’. Don’t trust her, ask the manager.

Commission rates on livestock sales had increased from 2½ per cent to 5 per cent over the past two years and this was becoming an issue with shareholders who were now pressing for some reduction in the rate. The Society had seceded from the Auctioneers’ Association and the matter of stock commission rates was undergoing review. In fact almost every pound spent was closely analysed by stakeholders, with the chairman having to explain what would be considered today as trivial matters:

Auctioneers, for example, there was no place at which their agents could get lunch and they had to take it with them. This the Society paid for, and the total amounted to £17.3s.2d. Motor car and gig hires amounted to £980.17s.9d. railway tickets £38.6s.7d. and agents expenses £1264.11s.7d. The agents’ expenses worked out at £6.4s. per agent, and this also included the upkeep of five cars. Last year they held 205 sales and this worked out at £4.15s. per car per sale. On some occasions two and three cars were required for one sale.

Two extraordinary years had passed, presenting far more problems than the originators would have envisaged. Difficulties, including staffing, establishing offices, stores and other premises at Hawera and elsewhere throughout the province continued to place pressure on the management. There was in fact a continuing state of change and reorganisation which had to meet growing demands on the Society by the farming fraternity and the shareholders. Everyone wanted a ‘piece of the pie’ but the problem was paying for it. Chairman Alex Hunter commented that although progress was encouraging and showed that farmers had confidence in the Society, ‘it is hoped that the satisfaction arising therefrom will not induce any to ease off, rather to increase their endeavours and further strengthen the Society’. Sadly at this time auditor and accountant Mr J. A. Turton passed away. He had rendered sterling service during the Farmers’ Co-op’s formative years and setting-up period and his valuable contribution was acknowledged by the Society.

Women were seldom mentioned in the minutes of most organisations in the early years, yet their contribution to the country, during European settlement of New Zealand and later during the First World War was enormous and in the main unheralded. We are fortunate that Judy Brewer of Hawera has a clear recollection of a dear friend who was one of the first women employed by Farmers’ Co-op in the early years. Miss Muriel F. E. Corry, typist/correspondence clerk, was born on 28 May 1892 at Otakeho. Her father, Smithson Eden Corry, was the first branch manager of the Taranaki Farmers’ Mutual Fire Insurance Association at Hawera, another early mutual organisation working under the principles of co-operation. Consequently it was not surprising when Miss Corry accepted employment in the offices of Farmers’ Co-op, joining the Hawera branch in February 1916. She retired in 1921, rejoining in 1923, and finally retiring in March 1958. Muriel eventually became personal secretary to Clem Trotter, general manager, and one of the most charismatic figures in this history during his 30 years with the company. Loved and respected by all staff, Muriel was ‘small and slim with brown hair, and had twinkling brown eyes which characterised her delightful but always kindly sense of humour’. With her sisters she shared a great love of gardening, and there was a terra-cotta bowl hanging near the front door to feed the birds. She owned a wonderful early model Austin Seven car which they called ‘Rosie’, and the Corry sisters often drove into the country to visit friends or to picnic. The sisters owned a large colonial dwelling on the north side of Glover Road and for many years shared the dwelling with Norman and Joan Faulkner-Blake. Norman held the position of company secretary for Farmers’ Co-op for many years. Muriel Corry died at Hawera on the 1 September 1972, aged 80 years.

Although the company was committed to moving forward, it was a critical time in its adolescence. Expansion cost money and cash flow was becoming a problem, with more capital sorely needed. It was resolved at this time that bonuses to staff discontinue due to the fact that certain staff members were not in the superannuation scheme and this had to be taken into account when adjusting

salaries. Commission to staff on the sales of shares was also discontinued and, ‘in lieu thereof, this record be taken into consideration in adjusting salaries’.

Although there is no formal record of the Farmers’ Co-operative personnel employed at this time, the following is transcribed from a handwritten note affixed to a minute book showing designations, salaries and employment inception dates: T. J. Salmon Clerk – January 1915, £200 to £250 F. P. Uniacke Clerk – January 1916, £175 to £200 F. J. V. Wilson Clerk – December 1914, £200 to £210 M. F. E. Corry Typist/Corresp. – February 1916, £65 to £78 E. A. Nixon Stock Agent – April 1916, £260 to £280 P. M. Harrison Stock Agent – April 1914, £182 to £195 H. H. Marchant Stock Agent – April 1914, £156 to £175 H. J. Judd Produce Manager – April 1914, £156 to £175 Florence Reid T & C Clerk – November 1915, £26 to £52 A. G. Clark Stock Agent – April 1914 £175, to £185 N. Innes Stock Agent – February 1916 £156, to £170