MARCHING ORDERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26778, 22 May 1948, Page 6

MARCHING ORDERS

TRANSFER OF L. V. CLAPHAM UNION UPHOLDS DECISION OF TRIBUNAL p.A. AUCKLAND, May 21. Mr L. V. Clapham, Communist secretary of the Mangakino branch of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, to-day received his marching orders. At a meeting of union members, the largest held at Mangakino for many months, the opinion of union leaders in Wellington was affirmed. This was that the tribunal’s decision must be upheld.

The meeting was addressed. by Mr W. L. Wallace, national president of the Workers’ Union, Mr C. L. Hare, national secretary, and Mr K. McL. Baxter, secretary of the Federation of Labour. They, all stressed that the union had no option but to accept the tribunal’s decision as this had been agreed to prior to the hearing being arranged. During the meeting, a motion of no confidence in the present executive at Mangakino was moved, but after a lengthy debate was withdrawn and a motion affirming Clapham’s transfer was passed by a very large majority. No work was done at, Maraetai, Whakamaru or Waipapa to-day. Mr D. Ross, who is regarded as a Communist also, and who is editor of the Mangakino Spark, was elected in Mr Clapham’s place. A move to oppose the decision of the tribunal that Mr Clapham’s transfer to Auckland should stand and to fight for his reinstatement came to nothing in face of the plain warnings from the national officers pf the union and the Federation of Labour. A resolution finding grave fault with the findings of the tribunal was passed. Mr Clapham left for Wellington after the meeting. He declined to state his business or whether he had finally left the job. •