CLUB FOR CHEAPENING THE NECESSARIES OF LIFE.

ME sketch which we subjoin will serve to convey a. pretty accurate view of the different parts of the mechanism of the proposed club.

We shall select a case, in order to show the manner of its working. The simplest, perhaps, is that of fish. • In the first place, the order-. takers visit the house of every subscriber belonging to the Club ; each of whom writes in a book, which is marked with his name and address, and is presented by the order-taker for that purpose, an order for the quantity and kind of fish he may require for the following day. The

whole of these books are handed by the order-takers to the clerk the moment they return to the store or shop ; the clerk slims up their contents, and having done so, makes out an exact. list of them, pro- perly arranged, for the foreman. • This. list, which we shall. call the market-list, the forethari delivers to-the itianager, Who gives thO neS cessary directions for the purchase and a cheque on the cashier ibrthe purchase money. The person employed to purchase (who in this case, as the purchases are madOevery morning, will be the foreman), pro- ceeds to Billingsgate, buys his fish, brings them home, and sees them cleaned and ready for delivery, The clerk in the mean while has made out from the order-boOks a complete list of the articles to be de- livered; which he copies into the delivery-books of the several porters, and also into his own ledger, marking the price against each agreeably to the invoice furnished him by the foreman, with an addition of such a percentage as the Committee of Management may from time to time direct for the purpose of covering the expense of the establishment. The delivery-books are then given to the porters, according to their districts ; and the receipt of his order, with the payment, being noted by the subscriber in the delivery-book, this part of the process is completed. To insure the attention of the porter and order-taker to their duty, the time of their setting out and of their return is noted ; and the subscribers are invited to state when any ground of complaint occurs against either—a column in the order-book being set apart for representations of the conduct of the porter, and in the delivery-book for representations of the conduct of the order-taker.

When the porter returns, he presents his book and cash to the clerk ; - who sees that the sum is correct, and gives him a receipt. And the whole of the porters having arrived, the clerk proceeds to URI head office, where he pays over to the treasurer the monies received during the day, the secretary having first examined the several sums by the ledger.*

In this way, it will be seen that no abuse can take place in the management of the Club, to which the subscribers are not parties ; for it is by orders under their hands that every thing is purchased, and by receipts under their hands that every thing is sold. The order of the checks and their arrangement are as complete as the nature of things admits. Indeed, the only person in the series that can cheat, is the manager, and he can only do so by the connivance of the party with whom he deals and in cases where there is no contract ; where there is, cheating is impossible. And the manager, it ought to be ob- served, will be a person well paid for his services, and of such respec- tability of character as to place him equally above suspicion and temptation. All the rest of the officiaries are so controlle:4 at every step, that it is impossible they should embezzle, however willing. And * We have given the above illustration, without any intention to preclude the market- Mall or woman, from personally undertaking their purchases; to facilitate which, the shops would be dispersed, as in markets, Some housekeepers would perhaps feel annoyed by the daily application for smail sums, or the demand might happen to be made in their absence;—to remedy this in- . convenience, instead of present payment, a scheme of weekly bills and Weekly pity. meets might be adopted, and the same system of checks employed, .

in addition to all other safegards, there is the tangible one of the secu- rity they will be required to find for the faithful discharge of their duty; —to say nothing of the supervision of the Committee of Management, who have a direct interest in the just and economical management of the business of the Club..

Having stated the above particulars as elucidating the sketch which we subjoin, we shall now very shortly notice some observations—we can hardly call them objections—that have appeared:in the pages of our contemporaries during the week, as well as in the communications of our Correspondents.

A correspondent, who signs " Unus Multorum," and who of course is on our side, being of the plundered many, remarks very justly, that our club is but an extension to the middle classes of benefits which the clubs already existing confer on the highest classes of the community. It is indeed no new observation, that the possession of wealth naturally leads to its accumulation; that the great man buys his tea, his butter, his bread, his cheese, his wines, everything into which manipulation does hot immediately enter, and many into which it does, cheaper than his groom can. The distributors of production live and grow fat by the tax that they levy on the poor. The club will remedy this. The same correspondent remarks, that the very projection of a club, such as ours is proposed to be, will frighten the dealers into better manners ; and we doubt not it will. The good we effect will not be limited to ourselves, and so much the better. Another correspondent " W." lirbo writes very well and sensibly, suggests that no credit should enter into our scheme. We had conic to this conclusion before we received his letter. Credit, even for three months, would not only complicate the operations of the club, but it would introduce the element of insurance which we are so anxious to get rid of. and which so grievously enhances the prices of goods purchased in the ordinary way. The plan of ad- mitting various classes of subscribers requires some consideration. In regard to profits, our correspondent labours under a mistake: it is pe- culiar to our club that it makes no profits—it gives, but it does not take. We gaunt the propriety of beginning,, as lie suggests, with such things as do not require much manipulation in order to fit them for distribution. Butter, fish, and hutcher-meat are, however, of this kind. We think the chance of their remaining on hand is by our plan pretty well guarded asainst. There is a diffiosilty, which we admit the plan of admitting two classes of subscribers, might remove : the class of subscribers that we contemplate may require a greater number of cer- tain peices of meat than without a lower class of purchasers it may be easy to supply. Tea, wines, and ndeed nothing but butcher-meat, presehts the difficulty. Now for our contemporaries. The Advertiser declares that he is not staggered by our article of last week—to which, with his usual candour, he gives the additional advantage of his circulation. We as- sure our contemporary, our object :vas not to stagger. Goaosstra speaks of going to church "to scoff and remaining to pray "—it is our wish that those who come to object to our plan, should, by the influence of our persuasion, remain to concur. We rather think our contemporary will be of this number. Ho admits now, that our plan has one peculiarity that promises–success;- :tad he will see by this article, that in regard to credit we are perfectly–as one.. The Globe says nothing could be .more injurious than the general establishment of such clubs, yet admits that the establishment of our club may be very useful. We take the exception in all kindness, and leave our able

contemporary to make of the rule what he likes. He says the butcher, baker, and brewer, are also consumers : so they are,—and in their respective overcharges they contrive, no doubt, to square accounts

pretty well. But what conies of those who neither buy nor sell, nor make gain—the common plunderer of the whole tribe ? Our contem- porary makes some remarks on our calculations of the price of claret, which he thinks too low ; but strengthens our general argument by more extended examples of other wines. On the 111101e, we think the Globe, as well as the Advcrtiser is a concurrent. .The Morning Journal of Thursday has a rather curious defence of the present high prices. It seems London has grown larger; and the demand for

butchers meat smaller, and the increase of houses and the decrease

of trade naturally and necessarily called for a large retail profit. There is indeed another cause—the taxes are as latest as ever. This would

indeed be an admirable reason if the retailers !:gist all the taxes. But

unfortunately we are in respect of taxation in the le same predicament that they are. It there be a call for these overcharges there is an equal call for our refusal to pay thorn. The City correspondent in the Journal of yesterday takes up the case with a zeal for the primest. meat venders that would not disgrace Mr. Giblets himself. He says- " With regard to a joint-stock association for the supply of such neces- saries as seem to be charged too high by individuals we have our doubts to their utility, but we do not at all doubt Wit. injustice. A butcher is entirely dependent upon his business for support, and his pyr centage of profit must be sufficient to enable him to Inc-et his expenses and si pport his family. But with a joint-stock company it is different ; the members forming the asset elation may he tailors, stock-jobbffs, pi inters, or of any ,:ihertimte from which they are deriving a livelihood, and they are therefore content :with any psi centage of profit above tiff.ct investment in the funds would ufford for all ex: seeding such is clear gain. This, howecer, is not the nay lo see a mitisd prospfy."

We much fear, that after such an awful denunciation, we cannot reckon on the City correspondent of the Journal.

We co:lulu:le with the outline for the regulation of the proposed chili which we promised last week. It is to be remarked that the subjoined is framed for an association of considerable magnitude—we shouk, say of five-hundred members at •least. But it is the peculiar value of the scheme itself, that it may be put in practice by any number, however small, and limited to any number of objects. It will be un- derstood also, that this is still a mere outline, or project, in which nothing is laid down dogmatically, but all the details are open to dis- cussion and more perfect arrangement.

OBJECT OF THE CLUB.

To supply subscribers, at prime cost prices, and for ready money, with the following articles:—

Fish, Vegetables, Clothing, Tea, Butcher meat, Fruit, Bread, Groceries, Poultry, Wi ne, Beer, The list to be extended indefinitely, as the numbers and wants of the sub- scribers may require.

MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB.

1st. A Committee of subscribers, chosen by open vote, to supervise the conduct of the officers of the establishment, principal and subordinate. To audit their accounts—to receive complaints or representations of subscribers —to sign contracts—to call extraordinary meetings of subscribers—and ge- nerally, subject always to the control of a general meeting, to superintend the management of the entire affairs of the Club. These services to be gra- tuitous. To be chosen at the annual general meeting of the subscribers.

2nd. A Manager—to ascertain the amount of the demand and of the stock daily—to direct the purchases, when not by contract—to see them delivered in proper condition—and to grant cheques on the Treasurer for the payment. To be accountable to the Committee of Management for the quality and quan- tity of all goods purchased by him, for their faithful keeping and regular delivery. His cheques to be countersigned by the Secretary, being first com- pared with the invoices on account of which they are granted. To be paid a yearly salary, and to find security for the proper and honest discharge of his duty. To be appointed by the General Meeting of Subscribers.

['Ord. A Secretary to attend all ordinary and extraordinary meetings of the Suhscribers,and of the Committee of Management, to countersign the cheques of the Manager on theTreasurer—to keep the minutes of Meetings of the Sub- scribers and Committee, and also the general accounts of goods received and distributed—to summon Meetings of Subscribers'under the directions of the Committee, or of the Committee under direction of the Chairman. To be appointed by the Subscribers, and to receive a yearly salary.

4th. A Treasurer (in whose nam,2 the monies belonging to the Club are to be deposited) to receive every day from the clerks of the different establish- ments the proceeds of the day's sales, and to pay such cheques for goods pur- chased as shall be drawn on him by the Manager. To receive a yearly sa- lary, and to be appointed by the Subscribers. To find security. 5th. Foremen for each separate establishment—to receive and examine the goods as sent in—to take the directions of the clerk for their distribution, and to serve them out to the men for that purpose. To be accountable to the Manager for the performance of their duty. To he appointed by the Com- mittee of Management. To have a weekly salary, and to find security.

fth. Clerks for each separate establishment to check the delivery-books, and to receive the cash from the distributors—to draw op the bills for distri- bution, and deliver them to the Foreman, to keep au account of the receipts and expenditure of their office, and to pay over to the Treasurer, having their accounts previously certified by the Secretary, the balance of cash in their hands, at a fixed hour every day. To receive a weekly salary, and to find se- curity. To be appointed by the Committee of Management.

7th. Porters to distribute the goods to the different Subscribers, according to the delivery-book furnished them by the Foreman. The money received to be paid on their return to the clerk, their books being previously examined and certified by the foreman. To be paid a weekly salary, and to find secu- rity. To be appointed by the Foreman, subject to the apicobation of the Manager.

8th. Order-takers to go round to the the Subscribers with order-book, and on their return to deliver the same to the clerk for entry in the general book of accounts, and also in the Foreman's list. To be paid a weekly salary, and to find security. To be appointed like the porters. 9th. Journeymen and assistants proportionate to the demands of the Sub- scribers. To he paid as porters and order-takers—to find similar security, and to be similarly appointed. To receive the aid of the porters and of the order-takers when nut otherways employed, and to officiate in either of these capacities according to the discretion of the Foreman. In making purchases, the plan of contract to he preferred, where prac- ticable. The contracts to be drawn up in the name of the Secretary, the articles and specification of particulars being furnished by the Manager. The offers to be sealed and the lowest to he preferred. And although the transactions of the Club being limited to its own Subscribers, and the whole of its purchases and sales being in cash, there seems to be left no open- ing for dispute, yet in order to provide for any should it arise, all contractors, all servants, and lastly every subscriber, at the period of his entry, to agree to accept the Secretary for the time being as the sole representative of the Club. To provide a fund for the payment of the necessary outfit, as well as to meet unforeseen exigencies, and to furnish the means of making the re- quisite purchases for the supply of the Ciub,,each Subscriber to pay at entry the suns of ten guineas.