QUEENSLAND SUGAR STRIKE—A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 23, 11 August 1911, Page 16

QUEENSLAND SUGAR STRIKE—A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

Sir,--—Re the strike of Queensland sugar - workers against..the intolerable conditions attached to the industry, perhaps, a personal experience AA'ould not. be "out of place. Left Vie. in April, 1904, for -.Queensland ; struck hard times, and was forced on tramp. In course of wanderings arrived at McKnade's/mill," near Ingham. Got a job here tram-laying in mill yard. Wages, 5s per day / hours, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.,. with a break of threcqua-rtcr hour for dinner. Six of us slept in a kennel about 12 by 8,. and before starting Avork had to buy from Co., at.a good deal.above cost price, all utensils —such as, knife, fork: plate, etc. And the food—my blood .boiis at thought, of it. The', dining-room (?.) was an indescribably greasy and filthy hovel, and meals word passed out ..through a pigeonhole by a Chinese cook. And' such a cook—the dirtiest Chinaman I have .ever'" set. eyes on, coA-ered with sores and hands tied up in unclean rags. With these hands he Avould scoop up the meat and vegetables, such as they were, and flop them on your plate. The .state of starvation one was in after his six.'hour®'.'spell of hard toil betAveen meals 'would make him eat anything. I believe I AA'ould,/at times haA r e eaten the cook himself—in spite of all his . filth—had he been boiled a 'sufficient' period. The Co. SAA-ore .by this Chow, as die reduced the cost of a Avorker's food to the absolute minimum. Three men. AA'ere jailed for forcibly protesting, as J.P.s and all. the powers belonged to the Sugar Octopus. Now, .in", view.of the fight being put up against these awful, conditions, and they are general, and' ! i)'av.e not altered materially since 1904.} I think it is up to every worker with a shilling or more to spare to send it along to the strikers' aid. They will Avan't it all, as they are. fighting one of the wealthiest companies in Australasia —the C.S.R. I have sent £1 along, and Avill keep sending regularly while the strike continues./ Their fight is our fight, comrades. /Contributions could be sent to. the Brisbane "Worker" Office. Noav is the time, workers'; show yoiir huihan matoship . and help to free these sugar slaves from their bondage.—Yours in revolt, '" ■ ','..■ Waiiilia. "." C.R.G.