The Sentinel=record., 1915-01-20
NO BEEF TRUST
EVIDENCE GIVEN
IMPROBABLE THAT EITHER OF
BIG COMPANIES ARE TO EN-
TER AUSTRALIAN TRADE.
Three Companies Control Upwards of
Half Of All the Beet Of the United
Kingdom Through Agencies.

Melbourne, Australia. Jan. l9.-Ger.
respondence Of the Associated Press.
No evidence Of restraint of trade or
monopoly by the American beef
trust in Austrana, was adduced by
the recent three months federal in
quiry. according to the report Of the
Royal Commissioner, Justice Street.
who conducted the investigation. He
adds
"lt is improbable that any one Of
these three companies (Swifts. Nor
ris and Armour has any present in.
tention OF engaging in local trade in
Australia. Their immediate object
in coming here is 10 increase their
supplies OF refrigerated meat for dis
tribution in the course OF their trade
IN the United Kingdom and the Unit
ed States. At present they control
upwards Of one.half of the beef ex-
ported to the United Kingdom, and
from South America, and if, in addi-
zion. they acquire control over a
large part OF the output of frozen
meat from Australia-a power which
they are said 10 possess already
prices i'm the United Kingdom will be
very largely increased If they com
Dine for that purpose their organiza-
ton and financial resources would
probably enable them to acquire con
troll over a large proportion OF the
output from Australia. The matter is
one of Imperial and Argentine, as well
as Australian, concern, and / recon-
mend that the government Of the
commonwealth endeavor to arrange
with the imperial government an
with the government of the Argentine
Republic for the frequent interchange
OF communications and opinions in
connection with future developments,
with the view to concerted action, if
necessary and practicable, in the
event OF any detrimental combination
Of forces being reported.
The commissioner finds that the
Swift Beef Company of London, "un-
der the guise of the Australian Meat
Export Company a company register
ed in Queensland, has established
works in that state and has begun
exporting: that the Morris Beef
Company Of London has purchased a
site on he Brisbane river, also in
Queensland, with view TO the estaD-
lishment Of plant and that Armour
& Company of London is purchasing
refrigerated and canned meat through
the agency of an Australian firm,
has been negotiating for an interest
in the output of more than one meat
concern. and has already bought o.
eco cattle on the hoof which are be
ing treated and shipped on its behalf
bv the Government Produce Depart
meut of the state of South Australia.
He also finds that the Cudahy Pack
ing Company has made purchases IN
Australia for it's business in the
United States and contemplates ap-
pointing an Australian firm as its
agents. but that this is the extent Of
! its activities in the commonwealth
and ii has acted throughout independ-
emily 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 a very thor
ough one. Witnesses we're heard, in
Guiding officials and business men.
| A striking paragraph in the report
which is now before the federal par
lament and may result in antitrust
legislation of rigid kind by the La
Dor party now in power, is this:
The agreement between the
Queensland Meat Export and Agency
Company (the Swift Company and
five other companies, by which that
company tenders for the supply of
frozen meat to the United States
army in the Philippine Islands. and
the others share in providing the
necessary supplies under contract is,