SUGAR WORKS DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 250, 16 July 1920, Page 7

SUGAR WORKS DISPUTE

UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENT. By TsloeraDh—Press Association. Auckland, July 15. An unexpected development in the sugar workers' dispute, which for tho time being has upset the calculations of tho members of the recently formed ■union, is tho filing of a dispute by tho employers. This ifl set. down to bo heard by the Conciliation Commissioner on Wednesday next. The union recently took a ballot on a strike issue, the result of which was to bo contingent upon the employers not meeting representatives of the union in conference by a certain date to consider thoir demand' for increased wages,' A majority of the votes was oast in favour of extreme measures being adopted, and tho employers not having corno forward to meet tho men they wero to enter upon a striko tho following day, but instead tliiey decided to take advantage of tho machinery of tho Labour Disputes In«s>itigation Act. Accordingly the secretary' (Mr. Purtell) withdrew the case filod. on behalf of the union with tho Arbitration Court. Ho then set out to comply with tho requirements of the Act under which they had decided to proceed, but some delay wrp experienced through tho necessary forms not being obtainable. A citation paper in connection with conciliation proceedings arrived for the secretary of tho union yesterday, but, according to his own words, he would not accept it. Ho explained that the union was against going to tho Arbitration Court with its dispute, and that the mombers were emphatic on tho point of having it sottlod at a round table conference as provided for by tha Labour Disputes Investigation Act. The secretary further reiterated the ■ statement that ho was advised when in Wellington recently that a, conference to consider the dispute 'under the Act could be held at an early date. It would fsem, however, that the union has now missed its chanco through the jjelay caused by tho necessary application form bring unobtainable when the secretary instituted inquiries, otherwise tho application would have been I>n a week ago. The diversion is being freely discussed in Labour circles.