THE AUSTRALIAN STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 42, 11 August 1911, Page 5

THE AUSTRALIAN STRIKE.

WAGES BOARD AWARD. By Cable—Press Association—Oopyrigli/;, Brisbane, August 10. Tho Sugar Wages Board at Mackay decided to amend its determination by granting a 4S hours week instead of 1)0, and a 30s minimum. It is not yet known whether the will accept this. Many arc in favor of holding out for recognition of the union. A "SACRED" PLEDGE. BIGGER DEVELOPMENTS PROBABLE. Sydney, August 10. The waterside workers regard the pledge not to handle cargo touched by non-unionists as sacred. The shipping companies would welcome a way out of the difficulty. If they refuse sugar they offend the merchants, and if they accept it their ships may be laid up. The secretary of the Labor Council declares that if it is forced there will be a biggQr strike than in 1890.

POSITION EASIER. BUT STILL DIFFICULT. Received 11, 1.2# an, Sydney, August !•. The tension of the sugar strike is somewkat relaxed, on the strength of advices from Brisbane that the State Treasurer an the Bngar mill owners have agreed to attend the conference asked for yesterday. The conference takes place at 4 o'clock to-morrow. A wire received from the secretary of the Waterside Workers' Union, who is attending the Brisbane Conference, announces that the conference is arranged, and asks the Sydney watersid# workers not to stop working general cargo vessels, as this will have an important bearing on to-morrow's conference. Despite the reassuring tone of the Brisbane advices there is no cessation of preparation. It transpires that a secret conference to-day decided that all unionists will act simultaneously, and not in sections, in the event of to-morrow's conference proving futile and trouble arising.

Sugar to-day advanced £1 a ton all round.

The view is expressed in labor circles here that the Queensland strikers are not likely to accept the Wages Board or its award mentioned this morning, as the Board was promulgated by the Free Laborers' Union. Another difficulty in the way of settlement is that free laborers are engaged to take the place of strikers, and unionists are not likely to agree to work alongside them.