NO BEEF TRUST.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2013, 21 March 1914, Page 8

NO BEEF TRUST.

MB, SIDNEY KIDMAN'S VIEWS. • Sir. Sidney Kidman, the groat Australian cattle owner,' was interviewed in Brisbane on March 8. He said:—"l have never sold a beast to Swift's, and perhaps never will, but I am very favourable towards them.: They have expended large sums, on tlieir works <Sn tho Brisbane River, and pastoralists and the Kaihvay Department should welcome them. The people who will suffer from tlieir coming licro will be those in other States; and particularly the railways,'as tho cattle -will not'-go so ; much out of Queensland. It is my intention to send the bulk of my cattli; to Brisbane, To vhsville, or some other woi'ks 111 Queensland. ■ People talk ■ a lot about what Swift's '.will do or what they won't-do,-but other companies will always exist and-bo able to dp as well as' Swift's 1 ." "Hoiv far will the' American firms be able to affect'prices ?". w:is* asked. Mr. Kidman replied : "Prices .will be controlled by tho other side'of the world. Yon hear nothing about wheat trusts, butter .trusts, land ,trusts, and other trusts. . It is- only tliis.-.liowl about Swift's, and it is a political. cry. We want .competition.. It.is the life uf trade. It has' been stated that Swift's and ;Armour aro the sanio firm. I know it is not so. I know. Isaac : . Hodgkinson, of Armour, and ,Co., and have , sold him several thousand' bullocks in - Adelaide, which ho transhipped to Londoii. Thero is iio connection between! the two firms. ;Last yfear Isold sotoothinK liko 8000 or '900 D bullocks to John Cooke a:nd Co.' 'They 1 -killed-800 a. week at:Sandoivn —New South' Wales bullocks I putchased,'.and'some of my o'wn'.station'cattle —which aro being. shipped, to America.'' Speaking of .big cattle business in Australia, Mv. Kidman mentioned the Union Storago. Company, an English .firm, which lin4-recently purchased Ord .River, Ware Hall, 'Gordon Downs, Flora Valley, >and Start's Creek stations, carrying well on: to 200;000', >,attle- in ; Western Australia. H6"did'not J 'lihow ; 'wliat thej ; wore going to do, but thought it likely that they would build works somewhere in tho nortlx-west. '