The Star. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1920. THE SUGAR STRIKE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20044, 6 September 1920, Page 6

The Star. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1920. THE SUGAR STRIKE.

The fact that the effects of a strike cannot always be confined to the locality of the disturbance is being exemplified by the consequences of the Chelsea sugar workers’ dispute. The secretary of the Confectioners’ and Biscuitmakers’ Employees’ Union states that owing to the dispute in Auckland 700 workers in Christchurch arc idle, and ho has asked the Prime Minister to hasten a settlement. Similar disturbances in the industrial life of the country nro reported from other centres, and it is quite probable that some thousands of workers are affected. This means that there will be a considerable reduction in output, and a substantia! loss in wages which-will hit very hardly not a few of the workers who have been rendered compulsorily idle. The Chelsea workers went on strike on August 14, over three weeks ago, refusing to listen.to any representations designed to obviate the adoption of extreme action. A settlement was hastily patched up, hut some flaws were discovered, and the men remained on strike. The dispute reached the Arbitration' Court, and it is hoped that the award will be filed to-morrow. The union, we presume, will then consider whether the award is acceptable, and perhaps the wheels in the Chelsea works will begin to revolve again towards the end of tho week. It is apparent that the strike was too lightly entered upon., and that it has had effects which were beyond tho vision of the ■Chelsea workers. They were quite prepared to cause a sugar famine in the country, but they did not realise that the first and greatest sufferers through that famine would be their fellow-work-ers in allied industries. The morality oCoadopting a course of action which amounts to war on the community at largo cannot he defended, but it is obvious that extreme methods aro appealing more and more to New Zealand trades unionists. The strike weapon is being resorted to with a light-hearted readiness and carelessness of results which aro quite incompatible with the. considered judgment which should ho expected of leading men in the labour movement. So far the policy of direct, action in industrial disputes has been met by one of concession, but there are not lacking indications that the limit of concession is being reached. Tho pressure of public opinion will demand that - a period be put to tho rule of industrial insurgents, who are living in and by tiro wanton disturbance of industrial peace. Workers who aro manufacturing or producing essential commodities will, be obliged to recognise that they have duties towards their fellow-citizens and fellow-workers, whoso necessities should not bo exploited so long as there exists a legal arid readily accessible way of settling disputes. On tho present occasion the Arbitration Court might have been more accessible. Tho Minister had practically come to an,agreement, but the Court declined to' regard him as anything more than I “ third ” party to the dispute. The State, under its agreemeht with the company, must foot the bill, and the Arbitration Court, if it had taken a less rigid view, might easily have settled the dispute at a much earlier date.