“COMMUNIST ATTEMPT TO GAIN MEASURE OF CONTROL ON JOB”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22618, 22 April 1948, Page 6

“COMMUNIST ATTEMPT TO GAIN MEASURE OF CONTROL ON JOB”

MANGAKINO INQUIRY

/ P A ) HAMILTON, April 22, It was well known that there was a Communist cell on the job led by Clapham, declared one witness yesterday afternoon timing the inquiry into the dismissal of L. V. Clapham, secretary oi The local branch of the Workers’ Union, from the Mangakmo bjdio job and into the strike of workers which ensued. _ Other witnesses said that Clapham sought to gain some measure of control over the job, and that if he were not transferred there would be no social structure left in the Mangakmo township m 1months.

Warned By Mr. Semple James Henderson Macky, senior engineer in charge of the Maraetai diversion tunnel, said that when the Minister of Works, Mr. Semple, visited Mangakino in May, 1947, he had a private conversation with Clapham. Later, the Minister reoorted to witness that he had told Clapham that if the latter caused any trouble on the job he would “go down the road.” Anyone he incited would go with him. Witness said that when one cooperative tunnelling party of which Clapham had been a member, was reorganised Clapham and one other worker were not taken back into tne party while the leaders of other cooperative parties refused to have them. The overseer asked that Clapham and the other man, who were then on day wages, should be given work elsewhere, but the engineers on other sections of the job refused. Witness said he was sure that Clapham was concerned in an ultimatum issued at one stage that overtime beyond 44 hours a week would cease if bonuses were not granted to certain classes of tradesmen. _ That threat to withhold overtime might have had scerious consequences, but when tni Minister advised the men that he would not entertain the suggestion a meeting was held and the previous resolution was rescinded. Witness, who said that he usually got on exceptionally well with union officials, considered that relations on the job deteriorated after Clapham arrived at Mangakino and became active in the union. “It is well known that there is a Communist cell on the job led by Clapham,’’ witness stated. "It is a well organised group with several of its members on the union executive.” Strength of Movement Mr W. F Shilton, a member of the tiibunal: Have you any idea how Witness: I would only be going by hearsay. f A large proportion of the men at MangaKino were strong union supporters, witness continued. Tney , v, ' e f < t at present concerned—many had torn him so—about the trend of events in union affairs. They said that the ‘■cell” organised by Clapham was controlling matters. Witness said he believed that Clapham was not particularly concerned with the welfare of the people or the promotion of the job, and that his tactics were to create dissension and unrest. His mission at Mangakino was just to stir up trouble. Witness said he was, one of the engineers who tendered their resignations last year. The job was a difficult one bristling with technical problems which were worrying enough in themselves without the upsetting and undermining tactics of Clapham. In those circumstances, he could not carry on with the job in the way he considered it should be done. To Mr. C. Hair, for Clapham. witness said he was not aware that Clapham hatl been invited to rejoin the co-operative party to which he had formerly belonged. He did not knew that Clapham declined to go back Decause he felt that his frequent absences irom work on union business would be unfair to the co-operative party. Know Who Caused Trouble

(ion had been drawn. He ceased to visit the workers with whom he had been friendly not because of bad feeling toward? those people themselves, but because of the tension which resulted if casual visitors came in during his own visits to workers.

Witness said on one occasion in March there was an unusual incident when a young man who had arrived only a few hours before called on witness one evening, handed in stoics he had drawn only that afternoon, and announced his intention of returning to Wellington This man had told him: "I hadn't been half an hour in camp when ‘they’ started talking to me T have never been one of them. I never will be one. and it is no use Communists trying to get around me.” This man was in a very troubled state ol mind. Support For Engineers Witness said he was chairman of the Mangakino sub-branch of the Public Service Association which on March 15 adopted a resolution unanimously supporting the engineers and deploring the circumstances leading to the strike. The Mangakino sub-section was representative of the storekeepers, overseers and others uo to the project engineer. About 60 per cent, of its members were directly connected with the construction, and so with the men on the job. To Mr. Hair, who inquired if it were not unusual for a man seeking power as Clapham was alleged to be doing, to resign from the presidency of the R.S.A. branch. Witness replied in the negative. He did not agree with Mr. Hair that Clapham resigned solely because he had in the interval accepted office in the union local. His resignation from the R.S.A. was soley because Clapham realised that he could not get control. Asked whether the national executive of the Public Service Association had not. dissociated itself from the resolution of the sub-branch about the strike, witness said that the action of the executive simply meant that “as they had no -idea of the case whatsoever, they were not in a position to discuss 44- **

Witness, when asked to name any tactic of Clapham’s which was disruptive, said the engineers knew from moving around the job who and what caused trouble. Mr. Hair: Has anyone told you that Clapham ever threw a handful of bolts into machinery or incited the men not to do their best? Witnes said he personally did not know of such actions by Clapham. To Mr. H. F. H. Hanson, a member of the tribunal, witness said he had no doubt that Clapham was a troublemaker and disruptive element. He makes the ammuntion, but leaves his gang to fire it.” Mr. Hanson: Do you consider that Clapham and his fellow Communists were actually trying to gain a measure of control of the job? Witness: That is the impression I formed. . ~ , To Mr. Shilton, witness said he thought that if the disruptive element were not all Communists, they could be called “fellow travellers.” Mr Shilton: Would it surprise you to know that there are seven members of the Communist Party at Mangakino? Witness: That is the same number as I have been told. George Shirman, senior overseer in charge of the diversion tunnel, said that often Clapham left one cooperative contract party. The head men of other parties were asked to take Clapham into their parties. They refused. One said: “I would not tolerate those trouble-makers for five minutes. I want control of my own job.” Another head man said that Clapham would only cause strife. Discussions Hold up Work

Arthur Herbert Macpherson, m charge of Y.M.C.A. work at Mangakmo, said he had found Clapham definitely dictatorial in his attitude to a matter affecting the union and the Y.M.C.A. Clapham had insisted that the Y.M.C.A. hall should be closed on the night of .a union meeting because of an agreeI ment to that effect made when only one I hall was available. Clapham would not ! modify his. attitude although several halls had since been completed. ‘‘Will Run it in Democratic Way” On one ocasion he had met Clapham on the hill overlooking Mangakino. Clapham waved his hand towards the ■ township and remarked: “All that is going to be run by us in a democratic way.” Witness thought “us” meant the Communists. Clapham had interfered in an unheralded strike on the staff in witness’ office, which included the post office, and had later written in the “MangaIkino Spark” an account of the incident which was most distorted. A “Mr. Ross, a junior commissar.” had also intervened when witness was discussing the matter with his staff. Speaking generally of Clapham's activities at Mangakino, witness said he did not concern himself with what Clapham did inside the union, but he did deem it his duty to take an interest in what Clapham did to spread communism in Mangakino. “The men on the job have complained to me that much of the trouble at Mangakino today is not due to the union. "They are staunch unionists and loyal to their union. But they do suggest that the executive of the union in jMangakino today is Mr. Len Clapham.” | Mr. Engel, for the Government: Then 'you think that his transfer would be in ithe public interest? Witness: “I would say that if Clapham stays at Mangakino there will be no social structure there in 12 months’ [time.”

Several witnesses were still to be called when the tribunal adjourned shortly after 5 p.m. It is likely that the tribunal will sit this evening in an endeavour to complete the hearing on Friday.

Asked by Mr. Hair whether he knew any concrete instance of Clapham advising the men to stop work or to hold up work, witness said. ( “Yes. ver y much so on one occasion.” He described an incident in which a party working with a truck on one side of the ' river had been held up while Clapham had discussions with those across the river. Several men were , delayed until Clapham had finished. Two men who came to say goodbye to witness during the strike had declared that the job would never be any good to them while Clapham remained. Bert Buchanan, inspector of works at Mangakino said Clapham had been a disruptive influence and had used his position in the union as a cloak for his own ends. . , , Witness said in November he and other overseers wrote to the engineer in charge expressing concern over the high-handed methods adopted by the workers towards some disputes on the job The overseers wrote that they had always found the great majority of the men to be decent, willing workers, but a small section seemed determined to stir up discontent. Their letter expressed the view that unless means were found of dealing with this minority, the job would be held up. Mr. Shilton: Have you any idea who framed that letter? Witness: We framed it ourselves. Witness admitted that he seldom came in contact with Clapham, but his opinions were based on what he had seen on the job of Clapham s influence. Was One of First Draft To Be Put Off Anthony James Clarkson P ers °"" c ! officer at Mangakino, said he engaged Clapham at Karapiro early in 194; but Clapham was one of the first dralt put off when work slackened. Go ‘ n ®, , Mangakino in April, he found tnai Clapham had been elected president oi the local branch of the R.S.A. _ “However, the R.S.A.’s views in that respect being well known he did not remain president for long. He resigned because, in my opinion, he found that his attempt to gain control of was falling on very barren ground,” said witness, himself a member of the R.S.A. Witness said that after Clapham became secretary of the union local in July there was a marked worsening in relations between the union and the staff with whom, for the first time, he found that a needless line of demarca-