THE SUGAR STRIKE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24, 28 July 1911, Page 10

THE SUGAR STRIKE.

(From Our Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, 22nd July. The Queensland stciir SI sugar-cane cutters and sugar millworkers shows no sign of terminating The three chief centres of discontent are Bundaberg. 200 miles from Brisbane ; Mackay, 400 miles ; and Cairs, 900 miierf. That is to say, that the strikers are collected at different points on a. coast-line about half as long again as the distance from Auckland to Dunedin. At various places camps have been formed, in which Ihe labourers are collected, being supported partly from their own funds and partly by union levies. In the strike camps thefe are said to be 2000 men, and many more are directly affected. As cane-cutting is usually done on piecework by gangs of men who take a. contract from the cane-owners, and the rates and conditions vary in different districts and according to the character and condition of the cane, average earnings cannot be given. The larger plantations employ cutters on wages which have tanged from 24s to 25s per week and found, The hours worked on wage© . have been usually ten a day, and eight on Saturday. The cutters on strike demand an eight-hour day at 8s a day and found. Mill hands are usually on wages, with an eleven-hour day eight on Saturdays, but the Wages vary greatly—starting from 24s and found, and increasing with the class of labour. The mill hands on strike ask^ fov an eight-hour day, and wages of 30s per week and found. General field hands, other than cutters, want the same conditions. The allowance for board and lodging, which is of tho roughest description, is 12s per week. The employers offer a general wage of 30s and found .in the crushing season, and 27s 6d and found in the off season, but ''refuse to entertain an eight-hour day in agriculture."' Cane is cut and crushed in the winter, and in spite of the strike, crushing is proceeding. The waterside workers and seamen have given notice, however, that they will refuse to load and carry " blackleg sugar," and the point ifi raised whether this "stiike .after notice," should it •vexiuate would be a breach of the Commonwealth arbitration law. It is unlikely, however, that the steamship proprietors' will ri.«k a strike, and the tabooed sugar will probably be piled up till the dispute ends.