Meaning and Importance of Correspondence in a Co-operative Society

Correspondence means the exchange of information, requests, instructions, and decisions in writing between two parties. Secretarial correspondence, in the co-operative context, is the whole body of written communication — letters, notices, circulars, applications, returns, and replies — that the secretary sends out on behalf of the society and receives on its behalf from members, the managing committee, the Registrar and other authorities, banks, and auditors. Unlike a casual spoken word, a written communication is durable: it can be filed, referred to later, and produced as evidence, which is exactly why so much of a co-operative society's dealings must be carried on in writing.

The importance of correspondence to a co-operative society is considerable. First, it is the ordinary means of conducting the society's business — admitting members, calling meetings, collecting dues, arranging finance, and complying with the law all require written communication. Second, a properly filed letter serves as a permanent written record and as evidence of what was communicated, by whom, and when; if a dispute arises about whether a member was given notice or whether a return was filed in time, the file settles it. Third, correspondence is the link that keeps the society in touch with everyone it deals with — it keeps members informed of their rights and obligations, keeps the committee's decisions on record, keeps the Registrar satisfied that the society is complying with the Act, keeps the bank correctly instructed, and keeps the auditor engaged. Fourth, good correspondence builds and protects the society's goodwill and reputation, because the tone and accuracy of its letters shape how members and outsiders regard it. …