SUGAR WORKERS' DISPUTE.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 205, 27 August 1920, Page 6

SUGAR WORKERS' DISPUTE.

ENTRANCE OF THIRD PARTY. OPPOSED BY COMPANY. COURT SUSTAINS OBJECTION. The hearing of dispute of the ! Birken'head .Sugar Works was continued j !at the Arbitration Court yesterday i ■ afternoon, 'Mr. Justice Stringer prer-ni-1 ! ing. After bearing evidence as to the. i ! working of the. factory, and the posfri- i ' bility of a 44-hour week, his Honor paid j j that he thought the 'Court would gc-t ■ ' more information by visiting the works, j ; Mr. Bloodworth proposed to call Mr. j R. L. Dallard, advisory accountant of i the Hoard of Trade, Whereupon Mr. ' ! Wright eaid that definite instruction* j bad been received from Sydney th.it a | . third l>arty entering the ease was to be i j opposed. He added that in tlie event of I any suggestion being made by the thirl j party the company's works were not to be opened until further notice, or until the Court had given its award. His Honor said that he could not see the relevance Mr. Dallard's evidence coulfi have. Mr. Wright stated that the company, not the Government, paid the wages. Mr. Bloodworth maintained that the Government was .definitely responsible for the payment of the men, and added that be was present to prove that this was so. His Honor held that no good purpose could be served by calling the witness, and, accordingly. iMr. Dallard'» evidence ; was waived. His Honor remarked that ] the position was an embarrassing one ( on account of the intervention of people , who ought not to have intervened. In reply to a query 'put 'by'bis Honor j as to how the men stood with regard to ( the superannuation fund, 'Mr. Campbell , eaid that the conditions governing the , provident fund that if the men ; were absent from work without leave ( for a week they would forfeit their rightts. When the men offered to re- ] turn last Monday the week 'had then , expired. Ho had taken the men'e offer | as a genuine one. but the company would , not take it as such. The Court reserved its decision pen- j ding a visit' to the works when in full , working order. ____