SUGAR WORKS'DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 298, 10 September 1920, Page 7

SUGAR WORKS'DISPUTE

SATISFACTORY DEVELOPMENT

RAW SUGAR FOR SOUTHERN PORTS By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, September 9. As the result of a conference held at the Board of Trade rooms this morning between representatives of tho transport workers and the Board of Trade, arrangements wero made for sending south 300 tons of raw sugar brought up from tne Islauds by tho Atua. This amount will be evenly distributed, between Lyttelton. Oamaru, Timarti, and Bluff. Tho balance of the shipment, some 100 tons,' will bo sent to Wellington by tho Navua. Tho, most satisfactory of the latest developments ,in the sugar workers' dispute is the decision of the Arbitration Court to inspect the Chelsea sugar works on Saturday, notwithstanding the fact that tho workers will not be operating. This decision wof> come to at. a sitting of the Court this morning, Mr. Justice Stringer presiding. Mr. Wright, who appeared for the employers, suggested that as the promiso of tho Court to view the works in operation was hardly possible of fulfilment, the works might bo inspected as they stood. Evidence could be taken from ]»th sides as to tho operations usually conducted that would probably tend to a settlement. His Honour said that he and his colleagues wero inclined to fall in with that suggestion. Ho did nob know that it would be necessary to take formal evidence. Tho union should be invited to send its secretary and two employees and the company might have the foreman of each Department present. It was decided that the party 6hould leave by launch on Saturday morning.

The secretary of the union haa telegraphed to tho Hon. E. P. Lee a review of the dispute, asking that it bo read to the House of Representatives.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. A further statement with reference to sugar supplies was made in llhe Houso yesterday by the president of the Board of Trade (Hon. E. P. Lee). Mr. Lee sa'id that on the previous day he had infonfjjd members that the Atua was at Auckland with between W0 and 500 tons of raw sugar on board. This •sugar was now being transhipped to the Wanaka, which was to come south. He did not think that the Wanaka wonld be able to take the whole amount, but as much as possible was beincr placed {iboard her, and would be distributed in the soutiH. "That ia raw sugar," tho Minister concluded.