FIGHTING MEAT TRUSTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 206, 30 August 1921, Page 2

FIGHTING MEAT TRUSTS.

AMERICAN" PACKERS' RECORD. (From Our Speclnl Correspondent) PAN KRANdBOO, lAngust 2. Action in vogii.nl to the exploitation of rattle tmipiptioet in Australia -xnA Now 'Zealand by American packing trusts has j hecn read with more than pausing interest .by the gonerail public of ttre I'iiited StaXes. Who for many years haw strenuously objected to a gigantic moat monopoly, which has the reputation of e,xtranddng aibnonmal profits, whilst only paying tire cattle raisers a mc.ro juittance for bheir animals. Consequently, any restrict-jvc legislation that may be ptaced on the tttatnto 'books of either Australia or New Zealand to atat-e abuses will meet •with the cordial approval of the "common people' , hi America., irrespective of »liat fuss may be kicked up 'by the meat ■l«iron.s of the States. J Whatever is being done in Australasia m regulating the methods of the packers "down under" finds it fully reported in the column of the American Pro**, and ospe.o.ia.l attention seemi* to l>c devoted to tihe ipmWfsm now in South Anneriea, judging by a special dispatch from Uurnos .Aires to a New Vonk newspaper, wherchy it appears that the oampaign being in Irugi/ay in favour of the expropriation of all forejgn- | owned packing houses and bhe/ir oporaI Uiiii nn Ti corporative lui.=is "for the I be.iielit of the cattle raisers" is making I considerable headway, lacking houses, and especially the American ones, ro- : cently 'have bnon made the subjects of scvoral legislative projects, both in Argentina, and Uruguay, accompanied by widespread newspaper publicity. TMie project, which has ...btatned the stronge-rt popular 'boekimr, ami the \vi ' t publicity, is one by tihc rrugiiay...i dn.pi.ty, FcbriiHi 1, Vianna. which is* an fallmvs: "A spechvl .-.unmittee shall h< larged I with arranging for a South nervan international congress to dcvi means of defending the cattle raising industry in the \arr.Kis countries of this continent."' "The committee shall arrange the pro gramme for Mie proposed congress, ami sha.ll include in the invitation sent to the various Republics a resume of its in- ; veMigations. in order that tlu> results of these investigations may servo as a hauls on ivfhich the public officials of the countries represented at the Congress may plan their policy. "Without prejudicing tins principal object of planning for the International Congress, this committee shall study also the means whereby they immediately can bring about a hotter compensation for animals than the packinghouses are now paying."' QUOTT'V EXAMPLES. In presenting his project to the Nousc of Rcpresental ives, ]>r. Vianna reminded the legislators t/hat in both France and Italy great attention has 'been paid to this question. "Argentina has devoted much attention to the problem presented by the packers' trust.'' the Deputy said," "and i'has tried to so-!ve the problem by emI ploying for the defence of live stock the. same methods employed for cereals. But tihe problem is not tin; same. Argentine cereals have no competition in South America, while Argentine meat, has competition from Brazil, where the industry is now,, but is developing uralor splendid conditions; from Uruguay, and even from Paraguay. This competition might at any moment place the Argentine producers and osvttlo-rnisers in a difficult situation. "Recent telegraphic news from the , United States regarding tfi-o. anti-tnißt legis.la.tion against the packers there Itiringß 'homo to ne again the necessity of limiting to control this trust befoTe it controls us to a greater extent than it already'doe*. We must take the lead in •pushing the movement for uniting the meat producing countries of South America, as r.his union will result in the real economical independence of these countries.'" In discussing the scheme to nenrs-paper men, Deputy Yinnna Paid: — j "The proje<T, provides fo T a.n agroe- | ment between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and 1 "niguay whereby the packing houses of t.hesc countries will be oper'ntcd for the benefit of the cattle raisers of these countries. "We expect to offer meat at lower prices to consumers in our own countries and at ■the same time increase the profit of the. cattle raisers.'"