THE BEEF TRUST.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1062, 27 February 1911, Page 5

THE BEEF TRUST.

AUSTRALIA .".CTIVE. DRASTIC ACTION ANNOUNCED Uy TcicEraph-Pross Assoclation-Copyrizht. Melbourne, February 25. Mr. Tudor, Minister for Trado and Customs, has issued a memorandum stating that it is nn open secret that the representatives of Hie 'American Meat Trust havo been visiting Australia with tho ostensible object of extending its operations to tho Commonwealth. The Federal Government will take immediate drastic action to discourage, and if necessary prohibit, tho trust's operations in Australia. It is not proposed to wait until tho combine secures vested interests. The Minister has already communicated with tho ' Attorney-General with a view to bringing ihe full force of tho present law into operation, and if necessary obtaining further and more effective legislation • for tho purpose. There will, ho says, bo no difficulty with regard to this, sinco everybody interested is opposing monopoly. Tho Government's action will extend to the trust's, operations in Australia, whether conducted directly or indirectly, or whether tho capital is subscribed locally or not.

■ "It is openly asserted that the combine is largely increasing its capital, n portion being reserved for subscription in Australia. That will not affect the case," added Mr. Tudor, "or aid in blinding the pcoplo to the gravo danger. No expense or sacrifice will bo considered too great to protect our food supplies from invasion by the'merciless methods characteristic of other parts of the world."