CLAPHAM NOT WANTED ON JOB

Chronicle (Levin), 21 April 1948, Page 5

CLAPHAM NOT WANTED ON JOB

Press Assoeiation>

: * ' -. Ehgineer Tells More About Tfouble At Mangakino

(Per

HAMILTON,. April 2:1.Another nine witnesses were still to' be called for the Public Works pepartment when the tribunal inquiring into the Mangakino dispute began its second day's. sitti.ng today.0 The Tribunal con'sists of Judge D. Jl Dalglish (chairman), and Messrs F. H. M. Hanson (employers" representative) and W. F. Shilton (workers' representative). Mr. J. E. Bngel, former Assistaht Pu-blie Serviee Commissioner, is conducting the case for the department and Mr. C. Hair, secretary of the New Zealand W'orkers' Union, is appearing for the union and for Mr. L. V. Clapham, secretary o,f the Mangakino branch of r the union.

The tribunal has been asked to determine whether Clapham's con- ' 'auct at Mangakino- justified his biansfer to Auckland. Tnis morning, Arnold Edwin Clark, resident engineer at Mangakino, whose evidenoe ha'd begun yesterday, said he considered it qaite improper for Clapham to nave given the information he did oo a Rotorua, newspaper, eriticising fche management oi the Mangakino job: It had been .alleged in this artisle, for instance, that small cools were very scarce on the tunnelhng site. Clark said the fabt was that between March, 1947, and March, 1948, although small tools were scarce throughout the country, no fawer than 76 wrenches and similar items were lost by theft ors cther unexplaine'd reasons. This was nearly twice the number of sueh items actually on issue at any one time. Clark said Clapham had denied to him that he gave the information for publication, claiming to have warned the reporter . that nothing was to be published. The reporter concerned, Alister Spsnce, yesterday gave evidenee that when he visited Mangakino he tcok notes openly in Clapham's presence, and said the latter was aware that publication was intended. Describing the negotiations he had with the local branch of the union over building priorities in Mangakino, Clark said it appeared 'to be one of Clapham's tactics to seek credit for himself bv making requests for things which hg knew were aiready being provided on the initiative of the management. Clark described the trouble which occurred last Oetober. over the catering arrangements at Mangakino. Two of the three caterers who had private contracts with the single men to provide meals at 30s wsekly asked for an gxtia five shillings weekly from eacli man. Aftef he had refused the request of one cookhonse comrpi|tee for the department to. takeover the catering — that was against departmental policy — and after the caterers had threatenedto close the cookhouses 011 a certain date if . they did not receive the additional payment, a mass meeting of men on Saturday decided to ceass work on the whole job on the following Monday unless the department undertook to guarantee the extra five shillings to the caterers. The outcome of this was a visit to Mangakino by the Commissioner of Works and 'a national official of

the union, continued Clark, The Cominissioner of Works, subsequentiy arran'ged for a department guarantee of the extra five shihings for one- week whiie the negotiations ; continued:. . The Price Tribunal was not consulted over the ,increase iu the cateripg charges. A settlemenr was. made on tne basis of "an increase of five shillings. weekly in the locality allowance paid to all men on the sjob, bringing . the 3 allowance up to, the pr.ese-nt figure of ten shillings: weekly. Clark, after describing the negotiations with Clapham over other matters-,. said he bflieved the latter's writings in the Mangakino Spark had caused discontent. Clark said there was a strong feeling amohg members of the staff that relationships on the job were much better during the few weeks that ' Clapham was away from Mangakino. "We were a happier family them," said witness, who ad'ded that in view of all the circumstances he did not consi.der Clapham was vic-timised .by the transfer. He had been dealt with very fairly and leniently. "I think Clapham is a very clever chap, but I believe he is on the job not so much to. earn a living as to foster the aims of the particular doctrine in which he believes," Clark continued. "Looking over the history of the work at Mangakino, I can come to no other conclusion but that most of our worries would be overcome with- the removal of Clapham. I resigned in Oetober 'because at that time the position had become so difhcult and so unsatisfactory that I felt neither I nor any other engineer eould carry on that very important job under the existing conditions. I was quite sure Clapham was responsible for; these conditions. • I did not want to leave the- department and had no other job to which to go. After 28 years' serviee my resignation would also mean a very substantial financial loss in superannuation." To Mr. Hair, witness said he gave very little information tio Clapham" about the reasons for the latter's transfer, "but I did tell him I would not stay on the job if he did_" Clapham had no special qualifications for the job -ko Auckland to | which he was transferred. I Mr. Hair: ,Then it ■ was not a I transfer for the qonvenience of the 1 department? Witness: It was "for the convenience of the department. Mr. Hair: It was an unprecedented transfer? Witness: It was unusual.