Food Co-op Facts

As a committee member-buyer for the Wellington Food Cooperative Society, I would like to point out a grave misinformation perpetrated in the first instance by the Mt Victoria People's Union known in our organisation as the 'Mt Vic Food Co-op' and in the second instance by Peter Rendall (Salient, May 1). This misinformation is that the Wellington Food Cooperative Society is restricted to students. I can unequivocably say that any person is able to, and is allowed to join the co-op.

New members are required to pay a $1 subscription unless they (or their friends) can show a group of existing members that this would involve them in hardship. The only other requirement is that the members enter into the cooperative spirit of the organisation. This involved one person from each depot providing help for half-a-day, or less each week.

The delivery before Mt Vic set up their own distribution organisation was so large that we only just managed to stack it on the truck (a 5 ton with canopy). This prompted the suggestion that our rate of growth would have to be slowed, by having no more advertising as had been previously organised. This suggestion resulted in the Mt Vic group setting up their independent distribution in the east and central city ares.

Since there are now two medium sized distribution groups the total number of people involved can be increased by both groups. New members are mainly non-students, i.e. workers because most students who want to join have joined and other people are beginning to hear about the benefits of the co-op.

The Wellington Food Cooperative Society includes non-students and students, with no distinction being drawn between them at any time. A certain amount of volunteer work has to be done to run the organisation. Students tend to do this, as they can more easily make time available during the day. Inability to help on Thursday does not debar a person from joining. At present people with heavy traffic licences will be welcomed more enthusiastically than other people, but any person wishing to join should contact me, Liz Morgan 28 Murphy St, Judy Taylor 17 Owen St, Newtown, Ian Kent 4 Thule St 757—734, or Ellice St 51—542.

Ian R. Salmon 757—718