CHELSEA STILL IDLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17571, 9 September 1920, Page 4

CHELSEA STILL IDLE.

ATTITUDE . OF WATERSIDERS. REFUSAL TO HANDLE SUGAR. REINSTATEMENT QUESTION. The position in regard to the Birkenhead sugar workers' strike showed no change yesterday. s < The only incident of note was the refusal of the watersiders to handle some refined sugar brought from the Chelsea works by launch for the milk works at Invercargill. The milk works, which employ a large number of hands, are short of sugar for the milk-condensing process, and if supplies are not available very soon it is probable that many of the employees will have to cease work. Other industries which use large quantities of sugar are practically in a similar position and, failing an early settlement of the dispute, it is not unlikely that. large numbers of men ' and women who under normal conditions would be kept in steady employment will be thrown out of work. Therefore the sugar workers' strike is having the two-fold result of depriving the general public of an adequate supply of sugar and forcing a large body of workers into idleness at a time when every ounce of productive energy should be fully employed. Referring to the matter of the reinstatement of the men at the Chelsea works, the secretary of the Sugar Workers' Onion, Mr. J. Purtell, said yesterday that although it was now stated that the employee particularly . referred to would .receive his pension it was not explained that under the provisions of the provident fund a man's pension practically was doubled during the period between 50 and 60 years. Furthermore, there «<*. re fifteen or twenty other men between the ages of 50 and 60 years, and these were apparently not being considered by the

company. Mr. Purtell stated that he had received advice from Mr. Massey to the effect that the Government had despatched a cablegram to the head office of the Sugar Company in Sydney asking that all the men be reinstated and the works opened as the Dominion was very short of sugar. The explanation given as to the position of the company in regard to the reinstatement of the men is that only one of the men over 50 years of age in the company's employ has been a subscriber to the provident fund. The intention, should this man return to work, is to make representations to the provident fund trustees in Sydney with_ a view to enabling him to continue as a subscriber, in order that he may draw a full pension when he reaches the retiring age. There are in the company's employ in Australia many men over 50 years of age who are not working under the provisions of the provident fund. The custom has been to grant such men a compassionate allowance from the company's own funds when they reach the retiring age, as a recognition of their good services to the company. It is possible that the other men referred to by

Mr. Purtell, if they resume work, will be treated in a like manner, irrespective of the fact that they are not legally entitled to this consideration. Their cases will be put before the general manager of the company in exactly the same way as the cases of other men have been successfully brought under the notice of the management.

The president of the Transport Workers' Federation Advisory Board, Mr. J. Roberts, has been in Auckland since Monday, but no meeting of the board has been called to consider the case of the sugar workers.