CONDUCT DEFENDED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22623, 28 April 1948, Page 6

CONDUCT DEFENDED

“MERELYJ3ID IOB" UNION ADMINISTRATION LAST WITNESS HEARD (P.A.) HAMILTON, April 27. The fifth day's sitting of the tribunal investigating the Mangakino strike and events which precipitated it ended yesterday with the conclusion of lengthy evidence. The official record of the tribunal's proceedings now extend over nearly 300 typewritten foolscap pages. When the tribunal resumes today advocates for both parties to the dispute will make their final submissions. Henry McNamara, head tunneller, when asked by Mr, J. E. Engel, for the Works Department, if he considered that the affairs of the union's branch at Mangakino were conducted according to the prearranged plan of a Commumst cell, replied: "Certainly not. I would not insult the others on the executive by thinking so.” Witness said he would fight the Communist Party, to which he was opposed, through the Labour Party but not from the witness box. He denied that branch meetings were drawn out until a late hour to enable contentious matters to be put through when the attendance had thinned out. Ridiculous Suggestion Clapham. witness said, was the most efficient union secretary he had known. Other resignations from the executive in recent months besides his own had been for genuine health reasons supported by medical opinion. James McLeay Wright, tunneller, gave evidence as to the correctness of Clapham’s actions and attitude in union affairs. Clapham had merely done competently his job as a union secretary ana to suggest that union decisions were inspired by a Communist cell was ridiculous. To Mr. Engel, witness said he resigned from the branch executive because a general meeting of the branch refused to rescind a resolution adopted earlier to publish union news in the “Mangakino Spark.” He denied, however. that his resignation implied a disagreement with the executive’s policy. This concluded the evidence and the tribunal adjourned until this morning.