MORE ARMS FOR MALAYA

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25554, 23 July 1948, Page 7

MORE ARMS FOR MALAYA

Mobile Guns Reach Singapore BRITAIN TO SEND HELP. (N.Z .P .A.—Reuter^—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) SINGAPORE, July 22. Sixty-nine one-ton mobile guns tor use against terrorist bands in Malaya arrived at Singapore yesterday. Reservists of the Malay regiment in Singapore were last night called to the colours. Liberator bombers of the R.A.A.F. will fly arms to Malaya if the Australian Cabinet decides that arms should be sent, according to officialvsources in Canberra. This would overcome the ban on shipments of arms imposed by the seamen and watersiders. Evasion of the ban could lead to a boycott of all shipping to Malaya, but it is understood that the present intention of the Government is to accept the challenge by the seamen on the ground that the interests of the Empire are at stake. Britain was sending reinforcements to Malaya, said the British Minister of Defence (Mr A, V. Alexander) in the House of Commons to-day. He told questioners that the Government would do everything possible to ensure the success of the current operations against the Communist terrorists. Sir Alec Newboult, the officer administering the Government of the Federation of Malaya, told the people of Malaya in a broadcast from Kuala Lumpur last night that the position was still serious. He urged the Chinese community to throw their whole weight into the struggle on the side of the Government.

He gave details of the new emergency regulations, which require that every person in certain areas should be registered, fingerprinted, and required to carry identity cards with his photograph. Sir Alec Newboult revealed that the Government had begun recruiting outside Malaya 50 officers and 250 noncommissioned officers for the sole purpose of organising and training a special constabulary. Reviewing the “sombre picture,” he said that the Government had had successes and reverses. “Let us face the fact that in this type of warfare we are very much ope to attack,” he said. “We cannot be strong everywhere, and the enemy will seek out our weaknesses.” Australian Attitude In his first detailed public statement on Malaya since his return to Australia from overseas, the Australian Prime Minister (Mr Chifley) confirmed in Canberra that at its meeting on August 2 the Cabinet would consider any request made by the British Government to send arms to Malaya. He added that if the Cabinet decided to send arms to strengthen the Malayan armed forces, the Government would undertake to deliver them. The Australian Army was holding 100 Sten guns belonging to the British War Office for disposal. If the British Government asked that these guns be sent to Malaya they would be'delivered as early as possible. If the British Government asked for the supply of Australian equipment to Malaya the request would go before the Cabinet because of the earlier Cabinet decision banning the export of arms to any country. His statement did refer to the boycott imposed by the Seamen’s Union on ships carrying arms to Malaya; or to any proposal to offer the services of Australian troops. It was later indicated officially that if the Cabinet decided to send arms they would be taken to Malaya in naval vessels, thus avoiding any attempted blockade by seamen or watersiders.

The secretary of the Victorian branch of the Seamen’s Union (Mr W. Bird) said that “no Australian seaman 4 worth his salt will help to carry arms to the white planters and traders who are trying to enslave the Malayan people.”

“When approached by the newspapers on the matter, the Prime Minister (Mr Chifley) refused to answer questions, but said that there was a long-standing Government embargo on the sale of arms to anybody or any country," reports the special correspondent of the New Zealand Press Association. “Among the questions submitted, but unanswered, were these: (1) Is it not a fact that Australia has sold or is prepared to sell Australianbuilt fighter aeroplanes to New Zealand?; (2) Is Malaya considered any less British than New Zealand, and would Australia refuse to export any form of war equipment to any British Dominion seeking it?"

NEW SEAMEN’S AWARD

AUSTRALIAN UNION PROTESTS

(Rec. 9 p.m.) SYDNEY. July 22. Australian seamen will have their overtime rate increased to 5s an hour and will receive £8 a month seagoing allowance when they relinquish their war risk bonus. This was stated today by the Federal Conciliation Commissioner (Mr Hamilton Knight), who announced the new seamen’s award. Last Tuesday the Seamen’s Union held a stop-work meeting throughout Australia and threatened strike action because of alleged delay in the announcement of the findings.

Giving his. decision, the commissioner said that he could make no distinction between seamen and members of other maritime unions, and that the overtime and seagoing allowances would become available as soon as the union agreed to abandon the war risk bonus.

Stop-work meetings of seamen will be called in all Australian ports early next week to consider strike action as a protest against the new award. The secretary of the Seamen’s Union (Mr E. V. Elliott) said: “The judgment of the Conciliation Commissioner is an indictment of himself. He proves in writing that he has neglected to study or cannot understand the conditions of the maritime industry, nor can he properly interpret the maritime awards arid agreements submitted as evidence by the Seamen’s Union.”