MEAT TRUST IN AUSTRALIA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 249, 27 February 1911, Page 5

MEAT TRUST IN AUSTRALIA

GOVERNMENT PREPARING FOR THE AMERICANS. Ry Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Melbourne, February 20. The Minister of Customs has issued a memorandum stating that it is an open secret that representatives of the American Meat Trust have been visiting Australia with the ostensible object of extending operations to the Commonwealth. The Federal Government will take immediate and drastic action to discourage and, if necessary, to prohibit the Trust's operations in Australia. It is not proposed to wait until the combine secures vested interests. He has already communicated with the Attorney-General with a view to bringing the full force of the present law into operation, and, if necessary, obtaining further and more effective legislation for the purpose. There will be no difficulty in this, since everybody is interested in opposing the monopoly. The Government's action will extend to trusts' operations in Australia whether conducted directly or indirectly, and whether the capital is subscribed locally or not.

It is openly asserted that the combine, h largely increasing its capital, a portion being reserved for subscription in Australia. That will not affect the case or aid in blinding the people to the grave danger. No expense or sacrifice will be considered too great to protect the food supplies from invasion by the merciless methods characteristic of other parts of the world.