Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, MAY 23, 1911. AMERICAN MEAT TRUST.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10245, 23 May 1911, Page 4

Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, MAY 23, 1911. AMERICAN MEAT TRUST.

The reports which (have been in circulation of late concerning the operations of the American Meat Trust have "been of .such, a character as to excite apprehension on the part of those engaged tin the primary tries of New Zealand, as well as of Australia. The Pastoralist&' Review recently emphasized the peril which would attened the completion of negotiations between the American Tmst and the Australian producers. It is interesting to note, however, that the if ears expressed by the Pastoralisttsl' Review are not shared by Mi* J. A. Cotton, a well-known Australian stock-owner and breeder. In a fetter to Dalgety's Review, Mr Cotton says he cannot see anything to be afraid of in. an American combine gaining a footing in Australasia. He holds that it would 'be a benefit to the producer, and no harm to /the consumer. He points out' that such firms as Swift and Armour would introduce up-to-date methods and open channels of trade not touched iby us mow, and mentions thie fact that in the Argentine such companies raised the price of cattle to the producer by about £2 per head. Such companies, he argues, would not (be able to make a monopoly in Australasia, for the State has the railways, and controls the means of transport. Mr Cotton says that the American combine is only a. political bogey, and asks have we not sometiling like a combine Were now? Quoting the published list of prices arranged for the meat works to pay for stock for the present 'season, lie said, "I haw heard of no meeting between meat works' representatives and (growers' representatives, and therefore if the growers were ami represented— -mnd I maintain ihat they were 'not representee! further than by the mteat companies who own stations — wfhiat else is it but a meat vreirks' combine?' But we, as producers, are satisfied with the apera-

tiaiis of the meat -worts, and feel we could not 'do -without #l6lll. A&d why make - a fuss about people w!h)o thoroughly understand their Business commencing operatkmia here? W© ought to hail rtiheir coming -with delight. Look at /the hundreds of thousands of square milea of good country in /this immense territory tihat ar© at present languishing for want of markets, aMiough the istook is there." Mr Cotton added that other markets were (being opened on the Oonitanent for frozen meat, and this would Ihring a, better .time to the oattlerraiser dm IShe (future, for* the oaittle-producing cenfbres of the world were not keeping up 'with fthe everincreaising demiaiid for meat.