THE MEAT TRUST.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14580, 20 July 1909, Page 9

THE MEAT TRUST.

NEW ZIOALAND NOT TIIKKATEXJiD. (Fitoii Otip. Own Coiiumpoxdext.) LONUON, June 11. From a thoroughly reliable source 1 I learn for the present at anyrate, Mew Zcalamlers need not ?eol any anxiety ii.s to the future of their moat companies j oil the score of American absorption. Aecdless to say, the great American com- I bines did turn their attention to New Zealand, as they have done to the Argeiitine, but there nvc special conditions which make it highly improbable that the trust will pursue the nmtlev further for the moment. In the first place the Americans are ehiclly anxious to corner the bee!' supoly ot the world, and New Zealand dues iioiproduce for tin-, market an appreciable quantity. But- the most potent consideration lias in the belief that- ii all the existing New Zealand meat conioanies were bought up to-day. half a dozen new ones would be started to-morrow by the farmers of the Dominion, who would never consent to tile depression of prices which would be the inevitable sequel. On the other band, if the trust- purchased the meat, companies it would have to reckon with the shipping companies, at least two of whieh-the New Zealand Shipping Company and the Shaw, Savill. ana Albion Company—have their prosperity bound lip in the Xc-sv Zealand meat- trade. Apart altogether from the absolution of the New Zealand companies, the trust holds a great danger for the 'New Zealand trade. What is urgently and pressessential tor the future of the colonial meat trade is some sort of concerted organisation. The Americans, who in great measure learned their business irom us. are gaining points on n;; every day by the fino?i-o ul their marketing, We watch onr product- jealously at the New- Zealand end: the American makes the. consumers' end of the journev his especial care.jnd lie is able to feed the market and effect economies in a way that is gradually reducing the profits of the haphazard Australasian producers. To remedy this is the aim and object of the present^conference bf New Zealand and Australian managers in London.