THE SUGAR STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1196, 3 August 1911, Page 5

THE SUGAR STRIKE.

FREE LABOURERS ATTACKED. MORE POLICE WANTED. , By Tclceranb.— Press Association-ConyriirlrJ . Brisbane, August 2. A telegram from Guilders asks for moro protection for free labourers and farmers. It states (hat armed strikers art forcibly removing free labourers. Work on tho sugar farms is suspended, A further batch of police was scat to Childcrs last night. Another report states (hat a parly of strikers forcibly removed four free labourers and disarmed (lie owner of tho farm, who went (o (ho scene with a loaded gun. From Cairns it is reported Hint strikers rushed a collage wbeic a number of free labourers were camped, assaulted tho inmn,fcs, smashed lamps, windows, and furniture, ml then decamped. One arrest has been made, Several smaller acts of intimidation have been reported. Tho strikers have instituted a thorough system of picketing, Tho secrctaiy of the Labour Federation has received a reply from tho Sugar Inducers' Association, intimating thnt it was unable to entertain tho men's claims, and suggesting that they should bo submitted to a Wages Board. In the Shto Assembly, If. Conor declared thnt Air. Hughes's proposal (o repeal the duties would destroy tho sugar industry, nud throw thousands of men out of employment. "UNBLUSHING EFFRONTERY." MR, HUGHES ON THE SUGAR COMPANY. Incidental to tho sugar dispute and the notification by the Colonial Sugar Company of a rise of XI per ton in (ho prico of sugar, Mr. Hughes, the Acling-Primc Minister of the Commonwealth, said lasl week:—"The dispute now seems to have reached a point at which it is necessary to call public attention to one or two vital points. This is not merely a dispute between the cane-growers and their employees. As a matter of fad the interest of tho larger grower and the average worker for the cane industry aro almost identical. The real struggle is between the Colonial Sugar Company, on tho one side, nndtho growers and workers on the other. You cannot get blood out of a stone, and in spito of tho fact that thia year ,£579,000 was paid in bounty on white-grown sugar, the average benefit the worker received was extremely small. "The only seller of sugar in Australia has decided that the peoplo of Australia are to pay ;E1 per ton moro for sugar, while tho only buyer of sugar is to decide how much cane-growers are to got for their cane. There are other nioiibpo-' lies in Australia besides the Sugar Company; but none of tlicni,Jiaß r the unblushing effrontery- to declare their prices in the daily papers in this callous and wholly indecent fashion. Here is a stnplo article of diet increased «C 1 per ton, and tho people of Australia aro simply notified of tho fact and. expected to pay. As they have already spent nearly JSiiOO.OM this year in encouraging the industry, this seems the last straw. No wonder tho Colonial Sugar Company does not bother about tho sugar strike. The longer the strike continues the higher sugar will go. Tho public will suffer, but tho company (which is protected to tho extent of JUG a ton) can aiiord to sit back and take, things easy. .1 should like to say ono thing, and in the most emphatic way I can: The representatives of the peoplo have, in order to encourage the sugar industry;, and the employment of white labour, imposed a. heavy duty on sugar, They have by that means discouraged various subsidiary industrics, such as jam-making, fruit growing, confectionery and others using sugar, and they have saddled the community with the payment of this heavy duty. Why was this done? Why did tho peoplo of Australia voluntarily burden themselves with this great load? Surely not to increase the dividend sof the Colonial Sugar Refining .Company, but rather to encourage an industry and provide ' employment for Australian citizen's at reasonable wages.

"Yet I Venture to doubt whether any ; human being; is substantially the bettor off for this duty, excepting the company. • I am sure that very many are worse off. The company does not care whether the strike finishes or rocs on. If it gees on it can sell its stocks, of which it has an ample supply, at tin increased rate. Tho reason for the imposition of the duty will, by such conduct, cease to exist, and 1,.f0r one—and 1 am sure that J. do not express m.v own opinion only—will not have tho slightest hesitation in repealing the duty at tho earliest possible moment. The men ■ are asking only for a living wage of 30s. and found, or '12s. if thcr find themselves. It'is not merely absurd, it is scandalous, that we should pay .£579,000 in bounty and £ti a ton on every ton of sugar we'use, and yet the men are unable, to secure a wage' on which they can live."