SETTLEMENT OF SUGAR STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 279, 19 August 1920, Page 5

SETTLEMENT OF SUGAR STRIKE

MEN TO RESUME WORK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

DISPUTE GOES TO ARBITRATION COURT By Teleeraph-PreM' Association. .. Auckland, August 18. The sugar workers have agreed to resume work at the earliest possible moment, and their case will bo referred.to an early sitting of the Arbitration Court. A settlement of the strike on these terms was finally come to as a result of a conference between representatives of the union, the Hon. E. P. Lee,, and Mr. MDonald (president and' chairman reSDectively. of the Board of Trade), Mr. W. Nowton (Conciliation Commissioner), and Mr. A. Harris, M.P. . ' , The position at the. time the men ■ struck was that all the raw sugar at the Chelsea works had been treated, nnd as a Tcsult tho raw sugar workers will not be able to make u etart'until Friday, when a fresh shipment of raw sugar is ■ expected to reach the works. : At the 4 conferees- the Government representatives agreed not to opnose such questions in the demands of the union as wages, working hours, overtime, holidays, and retrospective pay. In -a statement regarding the settlement the Hon. E. P. Lee said that the position actually was that the men were employed by the Sugar Company, and therefore the Government was unable to make any direct arrangement with them. He had arranged for a special sitting of the Arbitration Court, and it would probably be held on Monday. The Government would be represented, and would place before the. Court .the wages, hours, and output conditions ■ which it is prepared to agree to so far as it can, leaving the Court to improve theso conditions if it deems it necessary, to do so. The Department of Industries and Commerce enme into the dispute because of the agreement made by tho Department with tho Sugar Company, and because It was directly concerned with the sale &nd distribution-, of siigar throughout the Dominion. , ' REPORT TO THE~PRIME MINISTER The Prime Minister made a statement to the : House of Representatives last night regarding advice he had received from the President of the Board of Trade as to the settlement of the sugar workers' strike in Auckland. Mr. Massey said that he .had received a telegram from Mr. Lee to the effect that he had, met the; workers and other interested parties, and had suggested to ithem that the strike be-deolared off,.that work should proceed, and that tho Arbitration Court should deal with tho matter. He had also stated to th- men that the Government would he represented at the sitting of the Arbitration Court, and he would consent to certain wage 3 and hours, leaving, it to the Court to make other concessions if it thought fit. The agreement made , between the workers and the Government would be submitted to the Court..' . '',