SWIFT'S IN AUSTRALIA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 845, 17 June 1910, Page 8

SWIFT'S IN AUSTRALIA.

DEVELOPMENTS .EXPECTED. This week's Australian wail brings further information as to the doings of Messrs. Malkow ami Kaufmann, the two representatives of.'Messrs. Swift anil Co., of Chicago, ami. of Aiucrican Ueef Trust fame, now in the Commonwealth. The "Argus" of June C states: "The inquiries now being' 'conducted by the two representatives of .Swift and Co.,i of Chicago, flas caused much interested! speculation among exporters and others concerned in the Australian meat industry as to the intentions of the Americans. "A leading Melbourne exporter expressed the view on Saturday that although the visitors hud not declhrod, that the object of their journey to Australia was to embark on an enterprise in the Commonwealth, that did not necessarily- mean that they had not come prepared to purchase ireezing works, or j laud on which to erect the necessary buildings and appliances for the purpose. "While in Melbourne, the American experts visited Augliss and Co.'s works. Mr. Angliss, in reply to an inquiry, stated tliat he had not heard of any proposal by the visitors with the object of establishing a branch of their house in Victoria, but ho would not be at all surprised if they didi something in this direction in Queensland or New South Wales. They did not seem, particularly impressed with Victoria, regarding the season in this State as too' snort. Some of the inland freezing works in Australia could be purchased for very much less than they cost. There were' several that crfuld bo obtained easily,. but the visitors would no doubt want to keep to ti.u seaboard ioi nny enterprise in which they ■ might start." ..The American, Beef' Trust does a big retail business in London, and is stated to purchase large supplies of New Zealand mutton' to sell in conjunction with its American, beef. It. does not' appear from exactly what source the Americans obtain their, supplies of our meat in London, 'but is believed among representatives of New Zealand meat companies that the object of the trust is to obtain its supplies in future direct from the Australian ar 1 New Zealand producers irithout the intervention of middlemen. Owing to the high prices, ■ the combination has lately been able to charge the American consumers, it doubtless lias much larger sums than hitherto available for investment abroad. No' information .is so far available as to whether' Messrs. Sfalkow and ICaufmann will' include New Zealand in their present tour, but their movements are being closely watched from this side, and there is a feeling among some of those in control of the industry that this time the trust means business.