THE MEAT TRUST.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14407, 18 May 1917, Page 4

THE MEAT TRUST.

Mia following is the fuil text of a telegram recent by Jlf Jt . ± * m llU(liiOU -Vi.r., irom- Sir Jamos Alien m reply to mqmriea made by cue member ror -Wuiuciia coaoerning tne operations of c/ie iUcat Trust:—

i<i+i reply tv Ollr telegram of the 14th uitt;, die so-called jbeef Trust was named by a combination oi: large iirms in rue United btates, among tuese 'being Svnlt and Co., Armour and Co and Morris and 00. The trust was dissolved as a result of action taken by the United States Government, and the companies now operate independentlyj but it is possible that when their common interests are menaced they act in. unison. These companies, with cue or two others, still operate m the United States, and also hold large interests in the Argentine. Messrs Swift and Co. are established in Australia. In New Zealand Messrs Armour and 00. ara operating under their own name. Whether other American firms are operating here, through the agency of other firms conducting business in New Zealand is not fully and definitely known. The history of these American firms in the past, as• shown by American official reports, is that by means of large capital, enterprise, and business capacity'they endeavour to squeeze out smaller operators and to obtain among themselves control of the meat business of the country. •. These large American firms operate/extensively in the sale of meat in Great' Britain, and if,they obtained sufficient control of the British selling market they would be able, if they wished, to influence selling values there, to the detriment of their New Zealand opponents. The whole position 16 receiving the very careful consideration of the New Zealand Government, and the Prime Minister, during his stay in England, lias gone fully into the matter there in order that we may be ia the best position po&sibleto adequately safeguard the interests of New Zealand."