THE SUGAR DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 296, 8 September 1920, Page 7

THE SUGAR DISPUTE

REINSTATEMENT OF ALL STRIKERS CLAIMED. By Telwrrnpli— Association Auckland, September 7. The workers at the Birkenhead Sugar Refinery have not yet resumed, though it was expected they would do so to-day. In tho meantime raw sugar will bo distributed to meet urgent demands. It is considered that tho fact that the demand has not becomo keen before this shows that fairly lorge stocks of refined sugai were held somewhere—probably by domestic users. The decision of tho sugar workers not to resume work until all tho men who participated in the strike are reinstated was the sequel to a statement made by the manager of tho company that the company was going to exercise its common law rights in this matter. In effect this implied that the company would only engago whom it chose. Names of certain men, whom the company did not deem it desirable should return to tho works, were mentioned, one being a man thirty-eight years in the company's employ. In order that there might bo no suspicion of victimisation it was explained that the company had a rulo which provided that no man over fifty years of age should be employed in the works. It was on account,of this man's age that "his services were to be dispensed with, not because ho was one of the strikers.

It was announced to-night that no freah development had occtinvd during the day.