New-York tribune., 1911-02-28
AUSTRALIA BARS TRUSTS
Particular Reference Made 10
American Meat Combination.

| MSlnoUrne, Feh. Ei--lns 'oih'hN"
wealth Of Australia served notice on the
business world to-day that II would not
/ harbor foreign trusts The following
memorandum on the subject was given
n the press hv Sir r. w Best, Minister
of Trade and Customs:
For several months past u has neen
an open secret that representatives OF
the American meat trust have been vist-
ing Australia ostensiblv with the object
NJ extending its operation here. The
government is determined 20 take i'm
mediate and drastic action 70 discourage
and, II necessary. 10 prohibit its opera
tions in Australia II is not proposed
| To wait until the combine secures vested
interests I'm this country.
The Minister Of Trade and customs
is consulting With the Attorney General
with the view n bring the full force ~
the present law into operation cnd. "
necessary. obtaining further legislation.
Tho action Of the government VIII OK
tend 10 trust operations in Australia,
whether conducted directly or indirectly,
/ 5I1 VIII il'l III liNi' NV irNN'i'iri' 40 -'
tralia. of the scandals and merciless
methods chsracterizing monopolies in
/ other parts ~ the world
The attitude of the Australian govern
! n1ert toward the meat combination rs in
terestiug in esveral phases About ten years
1 ago. II is said. one of the largest NJ the
! Chicago packing companies canvassed AUS
! tralia with q view To establishing a large
| plant there but found the strength of me
/ labor unions not 10 its liking and ahan-
doned The idea. An important reason TOT
/ this proposed enterprise was the American
| occupation of tho Philippines. The Ameri-
/ can troops IN tho archipelago had been ted
/ on Australian meats obtained ny contract
with Commonwealth companies, and com
| veved to Manila from Brisbane in Ameri-
! can government vessels provided with re-
! frigerator apparatus.
When the Filipino revolt Tas over ana
/ tho island settled down 10 peace tne
| United States gave up its refrigerator snip
I service but the people in the Philippines,
especially the Americans, military and CIVIL
| still needed fresh meat. This II was pract-
| csllv impoesihe n obtain from any other
Australian butchering and freezing firms
continued ~ supply Manila with their prod
ucts. and a profitable business was estab-
! lished This business still fourishes
! Tho Australian meat dealers have a large
| business aside from their markets IN the
| Philippines and in Asatic ports. Frozen
beef mutton and rabbits are carried by
| regular lines from Meoourne, Sydney and
| Brisbane ~ England by way Of the Cape
! NJ Good Hope. the Suez Canal. and even
the Strait Of Mszelen y is thought that
the approaching completion of the Panama
| Canal. which will almost rsvolutionize the
! refrigerated meat traffic NJ Australia, by
| shortening the route ~ Great Britain. Aus
| tralia's principal customer. has led the
| American packers n seek a foothold in
the commonwealth. as they have in the
| Argentine Republic
| The present government in Australia.
| however, is a shor party government, the
! Premier. Andrew Fisher. being shrewd
! leader. whose object is n build up Aus
tralian trade and commerce from within.
Two amendments m the federal oonst'tu-
tion-ons giving the Commonwealth com
/ rlete control ~ trade commerce ard in
| dustrv. and the other enabling tho Com
| rnonwsalth to nationsllze monopoles-were
| passed hv labor party votes In the federal
| Parliament last November subject ~ sub
mission n referendum. which will take
| place early this wear