Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-01-14
CLEAN BILL Of
HEALTH IS GIVEN
TO BEEF TRUST
Australians Fail to Find Any
f Evidence That American
Companies Attempted to
Restrain Trade,

i.t.d Press correspondence
un,hnurne. Australia, Dec lO,--No
.lucc of restraint of trade or mo-
ponoh by the American beef trust
"VP snstralia was adduced by the re-
,,reo months federal inquiry ae-
dino 70 the report Of the royal
nm ssioncr. Justice street VINO
ngne,rd the rvcslisalion lie
adds 49, ANA no
.., three companies (Swifts, Nor
,ig and Armour has any present m
,onfion of engaging in local trade IN
,,.tr,lia Their Immediate object IN
',,,oino here is to increase their sup
Niles Of refrigerated meat for distri-
tulien in Lhe course of their trade IN
bo United Kingdom and the United
c,.tes AZ resent they control up
Yards of onc-half of the beef exported
IN fhc United Kingdom, and from
smith America, and if, in addition,
,hey acquire control over a large part
e.tbp outUut Of frozen meat from
,uslrlia-a power which they are
soid ia possess already-prices in the
tinted Kingdom will be very largely
ircrcased If they combine for that
nurpose their organization and finan-
r,l resources wotlld probably enable
Them 10 acquire control over a large
proporion OF the output from Aus
irala. The matter is one of imperial
AMI Argentine, as we'll as Australian
concern. aud / recommend that the
government of the commonwealth en-
dqayor to arrange with the imperial
goyelnment and the government Of
the Argentine republic for the fire.
mem interchange Of communications
and opinions in connection with future
developments. with the view to con-
eefted action. if necessary and praeti-
cable. in the event of any detrimen-
ial combination of forces being re-
portd,'
Findings of Commissioner.
The commissioner finds that the
Swift Beef company of London 'un-
der the guisc of the Australian Meat
Export company, company regis
tered in Queensland, has established
works in that state and has begun eX-
porting that the Morris Beef COM
pany Of London has purchased a site
on the Brisbane river, also in Queens
land, with a view to the establishment
Of a plant, and that Armour a. Co.
Of London is purchasing refrigerated
and canned meat through the agency
Of an Australian firm, has been ne
g0tlating for an interest in the output
Of more than one meat concern. and
hasalready bought-3.Q00 cattle on the
hoOf which are being treated and
shipped on its behalf by the govern
ment produce department of the state
Of South Australia. He also finds
that the Cudahy Packing company has
made purchases in Australia for its
business in the United States and
conlemplates appointing an Australian
firm as its agents. but that this is the
extent Of its activities in the common
wealth and it has acted throughout
Independently of the other packing
companies.
The inquiry grew out of the politi-
cal and popular agitation caused by
The operations Of the Swift company
IN Queensland and was very thor
ough one Witnesses were heard, in
Guiding officials and business men.
4 striking paragraph in the report,
which Is now before the federal par
lament aud may result in antitrust
legislation Of a rigid kind by the la
nor party now in power, is this.
An agreement between the
Queemland Meat Export and Agency
company Che Swift company and
i've other companies, by Which that
company tenders for the supply Of
llo1en meat to the United States army
III me Philippine islands, and the oth-
u factors in providing the necessary
supplies under contract, is, by its
Elimination Of the element of compe-
lAivh, an agreement in restraint of
uaoe do not know whether the
elect is to increase the price to the
epled states government nor do |
KNOW whether that government is
aware Of the practice that is adopted.
appfehend that it is not"