§ 72. Mr. J. Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement regarding the report of the 34W Commission of Inquiry into the dispute between the Colonial Sugar Refining Company Limited and the Fiji Sugar Industry Employees Association.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe Commission's Report was published on the 28th February, and I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House. The Commission found that the inquiry held by the company after the October strike into the conduct of the two overseers was fairly and properly conducted and reached the correct conclusions. It also found that the action taken by the company on these findings was entirely reasonable in the circumstances and quite adequate. The Commission further considered that the conduct of the overseers was in fact not the cause of the October strike. I am glad to say that the association and the company agreed when the Commission was set up to abide by its decision.