By Lakshman
p. 25 · Read in the full issue
Company Accepts New Basic Wage Fiji Sugar Industry Still Menaced By Lakshman
In a public announcement on August 27, in Fiji, the alonial Sugar Refining Co. Ltd. said that it would accept the commendation of the recent Board of Inquiry into wages in e sugar industry in Fiji, and would increase all wages by 1 per hour, as from April 23 last.
DER this arrangement, the asic hourly wage would be 1/8, s recommended by the Board. ; Company formally announced as the wage had been fixed lengthy inquiry, further wage ases would not be agreed to te Company for some years. ; Board, in its recent report, a number of recommendations he creation of machinery de d to prevent further clashes sen the Fiji Sugar Industry oyees’ Union, which is directed r. D. B. Lakshman,as president, he CSR Co., in regard to wages working conditions. ; CSR Co. has suggested that ipresentatives should meet the sentatives of the Union in il conference on September 28, ek ways and means of imple ing the Board’s recommenda and a “Master agreement lintain peace in the industry”. 3 recommendation is that :rs affecting sugar workers ally should be discussed and ed by the central executive littee of the Union, under nstances which ensure that all hes should be heard the b of this obviously being that major decisions should not be i in future by one man (Mr. iman) as frequently has been ase in the past. attitude of Mr. Lakshman b following day, in a long nent filled with querulous lent, Mr. Lakshman questioned ,ction of the CSR Co. in making [inouncement the previous day >ut consultation with him, le indicated disagreement with indings of the board, his statement he repeatedly ided the people concerned although a majority of the d recommended an increase in s of 3d per hour and a basic of 1/8, a minority of the Board Indian member) recommended icrease of lOd per hour and a rate of 2/3. e indications are that Mr. hman will hold a series of meet with members of his Union re the conference on September md, if his statement published
on August 29 is any guide, any gen eral settlement of industrial matters as between the Company and the Union on September 28 will not be easily achieved.
A situation could develop out of these events which would place a pretty severe test upon the Gov ernorship of Sir Kenneth Maddocks.
The Government has been much embarrassed by industrial unrest in the Fiji sugar industry in recent years.
The appointment of the Board of Inquiry into wages under Mr.
Honeyman, a London barrister, rep resented the Government’s attempt to ascertain the justice of Mr.
Lakshman’s wages claim, before taking any drastic action to put an end to the industrial agitation in the sugar-mill areas, which is be lieved to be both irresponsible and Communist in its origin.
That confection is a cake —a wedding-cake— about to be cut by the bride, Mrs. Keith Spooner (nee Pame'a Gilmer), at a reception given at South Pacific Commission Headquarters, Noumea. The couple had been married in a civil ceremony by the Australian Consul, Mr.
Rodney Hodgson, and was the first marriage ever performed by an Australian Consul in Noumea. The religious ceremony was at the beautiful Eglise des Voeux. The young couple are both working in Noumea —the groom as an off-set printer; and the bride at the SPC.
Photo: F. E. Dunn.