TRUSTS IN AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12000, 24 June 1902, Page 5

TRUSTS IN AUSTRALIA.

ATTITUDE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

In the Federal House of Representatives, on June 13, Mr. Page asked the Minister for Customs whether his attention had been called to a telegram from Brisbane, published in the Age of that day, stating that a timber trust had been formed in Queensland, The Minister for Customs, he said, has promised to deal promptly with any such movement.

Mr. Kingston said he held to the promise given. He did not, however, understand that the trust had been formed for the purpose of injuring anybody. He hoped that the undertaking would do good to the industry and the community. I At a later stage, during the discussion on the Supply Bill, Mr. Page quoted at length from Hansard, to show that the Minister for Customs was pledged to oppose the formation of trusts. The price of timber in. Queensland would soon be so high that people would not be able to pay for coffins. (Laughter.) The trust was the result of protection, and he was opposed to protection in any form. Mr. Batchelor ■. What about bananas ? (Laughter.) Mr. Page said he had made one slip with regard to bananas. He had a banana plantation in Queensland. (Laughter.) The Minister for Customs said he was thoroughly in favour of bonuses to prevent combinations being formed to unduly increase the price of articles to the consumer. In these days co-operation was necessary ; the individual was helpless. It was not to be inferred that because a combination was formed the object was to raise prices. He welcomed combinations which protected industries. He firmly believed in trades unionism, and in the union of employers as well as employees. It was necessary for Australian producers to do something to protect themselves against the mighty trusts existing in other countries. There was nothing to prove that the timber trust intended to raise the price of timber. Mr. Page: I could get proof in two minutes. , , . The Minister for Customs said that when proof was brought it would be time to deal with the matter. He would not condemn the trust unheard. The Government on a former occasion had included in a Bill provisions dealing with trusts, and the matter would be again brought forward this session or early next session. Mr. Macdonald-Paterson said that he nad met in Melbourne the representative of the trust, who informed him that Queensland sawmillers had formed a union for the purpose of securing the Victorian market for butter boxes, and that the idea was to bring down the price, not to raise it. The first shipment of timber was about to arrive.