Glen Innes and district were featured in 'South-West Pacific' - a publication produced by the Commonwealth Government Department of Information in 1948 to encourage migration to Australia.
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In the chapter 'Strength Comes from the Soil'- ...'Glen Innes draws most of its strength from the rich farming district surrounding it. District life is therefore closely integrated with town activities.
Farmers and their wives work on town organisations and committees and support church and charitable bodies. Many farm children attend town schools.
Glen Innes is a direct market for much of the districts produce.... the district produces wool, mutton, fat lambs, maize, oats and other cereals, beef and dairy cattle and canning vegetables and potatoes.
Many farmers began as sharecroppers....'
As well as several dairy cooperatives in the district there were also the Glen Innes Rural Co-Operative Society and the Co-Operative Machinery Pool, both formed post war in 1946.
Norval Robson was one of several who worked hard to get these two established and was a director of both.
Machinery was allotted to the 60 farmer members on requirement, with shareholders getting priority. That Co-Op closed in 1952.
A large metal shed in 1946 on the corner of Bourke Street and West Avenue was the first outlet for the Glen Innes Rural Co-Operative - seed and other farm produce were sold.
Then followed a move in 1948 to 173 Grey Street before moving to 182 Grey Street, swapping premises with Davies and Yalden.
In 1951 they were paying 3.5 % on invested capital and 8.5% as rebate on purchases.
In 1960 the Co-op expanded to run an Ampol Service Station in Wentworth Street ( site of Say and Co Rural and Garden Patch) as well as being agents for Volkswagen, Rover, Mercedes etc., and farm machinery.
1961 a new store was built at 180 Grey Street and operated for three years but that business that had
at one time employed eighteen men and women (including Enid Bellamy, Dick Gray, Arthur Sellers, and R C Randall) was then forced to close in February 1964 due to financial conditions.
This Co-op was the first retailer to introduce self-service and re-packaging of meat. The Board of Directors had included Norval Robson, Frank Land, Bill Sharman, Tom Farlow, Mick Logue, Dick Fayle, Gerry and Mike Digby.
Who else had an involvement with those Co-Ops?
