AMERICAN MEAT TRUST

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XVII, Issue 5647, 20 June 1919, Page 2

AMERICAN MEAT TRUST

MEASURES TO CHECK MENACE.

The problem of successfully checking the menace oi' the American meat trust is considered in Weddel's review of tho meat trade in the United Kingdom, during 1918. The reviewers put i'o r proposals for securing supplies for Ore.it Britain. They urge inter alia the payment of a varying premium on meat carnwkod for the British mark«t, th* rate suggested bc\ng (a) O-Jd per lb. on i|iiantit'es guaranteed by B'it'sh-owned freezing works in foreign . countries. British traders, it is asserted, arc ready to face tho fa. : r compotitvon of any foi - - tign competitors, provided they can secure equal treatment in respect of freights, railway and storage chuiges and taxation; but what they most urgently require is to be reasonably protected against is the preferential treatment of the foreigner in Great B it",ni, and the misuse of the overwhelming financial resources of the American meat trust. It is claimed that the proposals made, if adopted, might not bo secured I if foreigners remained free to ''dump'' ; their products upon the British market, irrespective of cost. A ionaiive sug'/rsbiou made by traders h that tins Government should acquire powers to take over at any time any foreignr.wned meat at market prices current, rnd to resell same through recognised British channels of distribution, fo ; - its own benefit. The mere existence of »uch powers, it" is thought, would probably cihcc.k any desire on the part ci: any trust to launch out upon any extensive campaign of price cutting designed to diive British traders from the market.