Finally, an invitation came from Dublin, asking that representatives from the management of the Baking Society should attend a meeting of representatives from five societies in and around that city, with a view to taking over and working the bakery belonging to Dublin Industrial Society in the interests of Co-operators in and around the city. The members of the board discussed the question in all its bearings—social, political, and financial. They recognised that the cause of Co-operation in Dublin was much in need of a helping hand, and they were also well aware of the difficulties from a trade point of view which would confront them, but they resolved to attend the conference. They suggested, however, that representatives from the executive of the Co-operative Union, the Irish Agricultural Wholesale Society, and the Belfast advisory committee should also be invited. At the same time, a request for the erection of a branch bakery was received from Enniskillen Society and several agricultural societies in the neighbourhood of that town, and the deputation took advantage of the opportunity which their visit to Dublin gave them to visit Enniskillen also. The information gained in the course of this visit was discussed at a special meeting of the board, which was held on 23rd August, when it was resolved, in the interest of the Co-operative movement generally, and in view of the success which had attended other efforts, to place the subject on the programme of business for the quarterly meeting, with a recommendation from the board that they be empowered to establish branch bakeries in Ireland. When the recommendation came before the quarterly meeting of the members, Mr Gerrard explained that there were a number of small associations of Co-operators in various districts in Ireland who were anxious to use Co-operatively-produced bread, but who could not be expected to produce it for themselves. They were situated so far from Belfast that they could not be supplied economically from there, and the only other alternative was that small branch bakeries should be opened in these districts. Already negotiations had taken place, but before the members of the board went further, they wished to know whether the delegates were prepared to continue the policy of good work which had been begun at Belfast. The recommendation of the board was approved by a very large majority of the representatives of the societies present at the meeting, in opposition to an amendment which laid down the proposition that “no new bakery be erected in Ireland until definite details had been submitted for approval to an ordinary or special meeting of the Society.”