The Wholesale Co - operative Societies' Annual. - (1 Balloon Street, Manchester.)—We have
here a Rae srlay of pictures which display the business premises belonging ta. the Co-operative Societies. They may be said to illustrate the striking figures given of the Societies' progress since 1862. In that year the figures of the sales were £2,333,523; in 1907 they were £111,239,503. Only once has there been a falling back, the sales of 1879 being a little more than a million less than those of 1878. In 1907 there was an increase of nearly nine millions, a record growth. There are some interesting special articles, among them one by Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Webb on "A National Crusade against Destitution," and another by Mr. W. M. J. Williams on "Pensions s.nd the Poor Law." Both are well worth considering, though we cannot say thatthey express our opinions. "Since 1841a," writer-Mr- Williams, "it has been made clear by an Act, renewable every- year, that only such immovable property may be assessed for lecal taxation." Principles are not asserted by Acts which have to be renewed every year. The Act was C.ue to the decision of Lord Chief Justice anmen that rates ought legally to be levied on personal as well as real property. Sir Robert Peel, in order to prevent confusion, passed a temporary Act exempting from rates all picrerty except land, houses, tithes, and underwoods, meaning in the next Sessicn to deal with the whole question. Unfortu- nately, the promised enactment was not introduced, and this palpable act of injustice to land has been renewed year by year ever since ! And yet we are told that realty is specially favoured.
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