NRS-13055 | Defunct Co-operative Societies files

Full description

This series consists of files of defunct co-operative societies. Co-operative Societies (Co-Ops) are people-centred organisations that are owned, controlled and used by their members. When a co-operative is formed it has its own legal identity separate from its members. Directors have similar responsibilities to those of company directors, the co-operative must maintain proper financial and membership records and registers, and decisions which have a significant impact on the co-operative must be approved by the members. The co-operative societies, like Friendly Societies, were subject to An Act to regulate Friendly Societies in the Colony of New South Wales (Act of Council 7 Vic. No.10) and An Act to Consolidate and Amend the Laws relating to Friendly Societies (Act of Council 17 Vic. No.26), and subsequent statutes, and from 1902 by the Building and Co-operative Societies Act 1901 (Act No.17, 1902).

The series is arranged chronologically by date of registration with the Clerk of the Peace and subsequently with the Registrar of Friendly Societies in accordance with the Friendly Societies Act of 1873 (37 Vic, No. 4). From 1902 the Registrar of Friendly Societies was also the Registrar of Building and Co-Operative Societies.

The files contain the rules and regulations of the co-operative society and, where applicable, various forms of documentation to conform to the regulations of the statutes, and some correspondence.