THE SUGAR WORKERS' DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 286, 27 August 1920, Page 8

THE SUGAR WORKERS' DISPUTE

ARBITRATION COURT SITS

GOVERNMENT NOT REPRESENTED 0_ By Telegraph—Prc«6 ABBoo'atlon. Auckland, August 26. Hearing of the sugar workers' dispute was begun this morning at a special sitting of the Arbitration Court. His Honour J[r, Justieo Stringer presided. Mr. Wright appeared for the Colonial Sugar Co., and Mr. JSloodworth, assisted by Mr. Purtell (secretary), appeared for tho union. The main issues are wages, overtime, and a demmd for a five-day it-hour week, The wages asked for run from XC per' week for boilers, by ss. reductions, down to M 15s. for liquor runners' assistant, with the latter sum as the minimum for everybody not covered by any other award. Mr. Wright, in opening his case, outlined the main incidents leading up to the present dispute, and said that tho company, in seeking that tire dispute should 'be settled by that Court, was acting on its general policy of working in accordance with the industrial laws in operation in all tho States in which the company carried on its work. There was also a legitimate fear that the workers would como under the influence of that section of Labour in Now Zealand which relied on direct action to enforce its demands. They were all suffering from the results of the policy adopted by this section of Labour, with its vicious go-slow policy, limitation of output, and sectional and irritating strikes. The company, by its action, wished to save tint •essential industry of the manufacture of sugar from the machinations of "direct actionists." and to keep the industry within tho limits of law and order as represented by the Court and the Arbitration Act of the Dominion. Regarding the 44-hour -week demand, Afr Purtell (the secretary of the union) stated that evidence would bo called to -Oiow that tho 18-hour output would be achioved in 44 hours. Certain workers would be exempted from the clause, nnd the union was prepared, to give « guarantee that under the 44-hour scttente the output would not be reduced. The unions demands involved about .£l7O per week, or .£BB4O per year. The conditions were not all that they should be, and he was reliably informed that vhe men in the wash-house worked, in heat ,as wcU as in cold, without a particle of clothing. Tho Government had recently given a m rise to many of its Civil Servants. The claim of the sugar workers was for a .£SO rise. In face of the increased cost of sugar, the company could well stand Hio expenditure of this JCBB4O per year. He had computed that the company was making JJI9 12s. per ton, but an abler So than he had stated £Z0 to be the nrofit The recent increase in the-price of sugar represented ,£2.028.000 per an- " Wlion the union representative produced a letter from Mr. M'Donald (chairman of the Board of Trade) and wished to call Mr. Dallard (accountant to the board), Mrr Wright protested. His instructions, lie said, were to oppose Mr Dallard sivhiß evidence. The company had received cabled advice from its head offioe that if any attempt were made to Ttroduco a third party into the dispute the works should bo closed till further "Vhe'Court upheld the contention that Hie Government could not coin?;" 110 / 1 !* matter at the present time. A though i distributed sugar, it was not nctuallj Hm employer of the aien. After hearing both sides, the Court adjourned. It will make a visit to the works. j •