diff --git a/Spreadsheet/Excel/Writer/Workbook.php b/Spreadsheet/Excel/Writer/Workbook.php
index e086fdd..7b710e0 100644
--- a/Spreadsheet/Excel/Writer/Workbook.php
+++ b/Spreadsheet/Excel/Writer/Workbook.php
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ class Spreadsheet_Excel_Writer_Workbook extends Spreadsheet_Excel_Writer_BIFFwri
         $this->Spreadsheet_Excel_Writer_BIFFwriter();
 
         $this->_filename         = $filename;
-        $this->_parser           =& new Spreadsheet_Excel_Writer_Parser($this->_byte_order, $this->_BIFF_version);
+        $this->_parser           = new Spreadsheet_Excel_Writer_Parser($this->_byte_order, $this->_BIFF_version);
         $this->_1904             = 0;
         $this->_activesheet      = 0;
         $this->_firstsheet       = 0;
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ class Spreadsheet_Excel_Writer_Workbook extends Spreadsheet_Excel_Writer_BIFFwri
         $this->_fileclosed       = 0;
         $this->_biffsize         = 0;
         $this->_sheetname        = 'Sheet';
-        $this->_tmp_format       =& new Spreadsheet_Excel_Writer_Format($this->_BIFF_version);
+        $this->_tmp_format       = new Spreadsheet_Excel_Writer_Format($this->_BIFF_version);
         $this->_worksheets       = array();
         $this->_sheetnames       = array();
         $this->_formats          = array();