SUMATRAN ESTATES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28821, 16 February 1959, Page 11

SUMATRAN ESTATES

Five Now Taken Over (Rec. 10 p.m.) JAKARTA. February 14. The number of British rubber estates in North Sumatra taken over by local authorities had now grown to five, British estate agents said today. Earlier this week it was reported that three had oeen taken over.

British Embassy officials said the Charge d’Affaires (Mr Robert Saner) would call on Premier Djuanda on Monday for clarification of the situation. Unccmfirmed reports from Medan said the first two estates were taken over at gunpoint after the two Chinese managers refused to sign transfer documents. The estate agents said the managers of the other three had been told to leave by February 25 or 26. The managers had been told they were not to move trucks or anv equipment from rubber factories. The concessions on all five Restates expired several years ago But the estate agents said the managers had asked for extension concessions. They were told that no decision was possible until an Agrarian Bill was passed by the Indonesian Government. The bill was still not passed, they said. The Rubber Growers’ Association, comprising managers and agents of foreign-owned rubber estates, met in Jakarta yesterday. No statement was issued after the meeting.

Cricket in India.—Scores after the second day of the West Indians’ match against North Zone are: West Indies 76 and 228, North Zone 59 and 77 for four.—AmritFebruary 14.