THE COLONIST. Published Every Morning. Wednesday, March 15, 1911. THE AMERICAN MEAT TRUST.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13055, 15 March 1911, Page 2

THE COLONIST. Published Every Morning. Wednesday, March 15, 1911. THE AMERICAN MEAT TRUST.

The discussion .now proceeding in Australia concerning the supposed design of the American Meat Trust to establish itself in the Commonwealth is of great interest, to all countries which have large outputs of frozen meat to which the Trust may turn its attention later o.n. The controversy in Australia is based mainly on conjecture, but it appeal's that the attempt of Australia last year to open a trade with the United States induced the Trust to consider the advisability of interesting itself actively in Australian meat. Last year Australian exporters eluded the vigilance of the Trust and landed a largo consignment of meat in New York, despatching it from Liverpool at a time when there: was a strong demand'for beef and mutton at very high prices, and the Australian shipment was eagerly welcomed. The influence of the- Trust has enabled it to prevent a repetition of the- experiment, but when the demand of the American people for cheaper food is forced upon the serious attention of Congress, and the importation of meat which the Australian shipment suggested is established, there will be developments which will be inimical to the Meat Trust unless it extends its operations to other producing countries. In Australia, however, public opinion is so universally against the Trust that it will find it practically impossible to openly secure a footing. The bearing of the Trust's Australasian schemes upon New Zealand's frozen meat trade is being carefully studied by the Government, the Hon T. Mackenzie stated to a Christchurch interviewer the other day. Mr Mackenzie remarked that there was a grave danger that the operations of the Trust might affect the handling and distribution of New Zealand meat in. London. It was reportqd that £18,000,000 worth of debentures had been subscribed amongst half a dozen men supposed to bo engineering the Trust. There was no direct information yet as to the operations of the Trust in New Zealand. The Minister said that he regretted the scheme he had formulated for tho control of tho handling and distribution of New Zealand meat while he was in England had not been adopted, as by now it would be too well established to be affected by any combination. He had found a great difficulty in obtaining satisfactory terms for the producers in New Zealand either in the process of selling on tho market or ex-ship c.i.f. This arose through claims for meat not up to quality or damaged in transit. The troublci was to find out when meat was sold on the market, and the exact amount realised for its sale. He suggested then that New Zealand producers' interests could be safeguarded by establishing a market near Smithfield, where the whole of the New Zealand output for the United Kingdom could bC(Contiolled. After a good deal of work he had got an offer of an area of over half an acre fifty yards from Smithfield, and connected by rail with tho London docks', where the vessels were discharged. He had askqd the New Zealand Government to guarantee a loan sufficient to finance the undertaking, and also to guarantee that the meat should bei put through this channel. With thei exception of the late Sir John McEenzie none of the public men approached had seriously considered the proposal. He had also suggested an amalgamation with Swift and Co., so that their chilled beef could be sold with New Zealand mut.tori and lamb, and that might have been accomplished at the time. /He could not say if it were now too late to put the schepie in operation, as lie was out of touch with the matter, ©ventures from the Trust would be received no more cordially in New Zealand than they have been in Australia, and our legisation dealing with trusts and combines is sufficiently stringent to meet any attempt to openly extend the Trust'© operations to the Dominion,

hut the facts which have become known to the public recently disclose a danger of insidious attack to which it is well that the country should bo alive.