QUEENSLAND SUGAR STRIKE.

Evening Star, Issue 14628, 26 July 1911, Page 6

QUEENSLAND SUGAR STRIKE.

MAY AFFECT ALL SHIPPim Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. [Delayed in Transmission.] MELBOURNE, Jrfy 24. Mr Hughes, tbo Federal Attorney-Gene-ral and Acting Federal Premier, referring to tho statement of the cliairman of the Steamship-owners' Association thai if the waterside workers refused to handle nonunion sugar the trouble would extend round the coast, and there would be a worse strike than in 1890, said he was desirous of preventing such a calamity, and would leave no step untaken to prevent it. But there was something very rotten in a .state of things permitting a great company to draw huge dividends, and yet decline to pay such a rate for its cam? as would enable the growers to pay decent wages to the men. 5,000 MEN OUT. SYDNEY, July 24. Messrs Collins and Ryland, Labor memwens'in the Queensland Parliament, are proceeding to Melbourne in the interest of the sugar strikers. They say there are 5.000 men on strike in the camps, and that thero will probably bo 7,000 at the end of next week. This, however, does not represent the total, as in Bundaberg alone thero are 400 who axe better off stopping in hotels. The, reasons loading to the. .strike woro that the men in the fields had to work 80 hours a week and in the mills 70 hours. The wages wore 22.* 6d a, week and food. BRISBANE, July 25. 'JIn Adilalde. Steamship Company are instructing their Mackay, Townsvilie. and Cairns representatives to engage free labor to load the sugar, guaranteeing the men ihr;e month.-.' employment at union rates and conditions.