NO SUPPRESSION OF TRADE UNIONS IN MALAYA

Grey River Argus, 24 July 1948, Page 5

NO SUPPRESSION OF TRADE UNIONS IN MALAYA

Leader’s Statement • (Reuter —N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 11.0) SINGAPORE, July 23 A prominent trade union leader, the Indian, Mr V. Menon, today said that Australian unionists who thought that trade unionism was being suppressed in Malaya were wrong, and if they stopped arms shipments, it would 'be detrimental to real trade union aspirations. The workers, in some unions, now realised that they had been playing into the hands of Communist leaders, who had since disappeared. Mr Menon said that he would shortly take an active part in reorganising the Malay colliery workers union at Batu Arang, where the colliery was attacked by terrorists shortly after the Chinese union leaders disappeared.

Firing machine-guns and cannons. R.A.F. Spittires went into action this alternoon against an insurgent band estimated at 5U attacking a military force south of Bertam in Kelantan State. The attack was the fourth successful engagement in which the R.A.F. advanced air headquarters reported Spitfires took part in the past 24 hours. . Bertam is about 15 miles north of Guamusangj where terrorists last Saturday were reported to have captured 16 police and later ambushed a military party coming to their rescue, killed a major and five members of the Malay Regiment. SATURATED FROM AIR The Spitfires to-day ‘-saturated” the area ahead of the advancing military force with machine-gun ana cannon fire, says a R.A.F. statement. The Spitfires’ four attacks in 24 hours included a surprise attack on insurgent headquaters in Perak, where the scattering terrorists were machinegunned and cannoned for 2U nnnuites, believedly with “heavy casualtieln Ipoh judge to-day imposed two death sentences under the new emergency regulations. Two Chinese were sentenced to death for illegal possession of arms and ammunition. Another was sentenced to five years and a fourth to one year’s imprisonment on the same charge. An advance party of Inmskilling Fusiliers arrived at Singapore to-day from Hong Kong. The remainder of the battalion to reinforce the British forces fighting the terrorists is expected to arrive shortly. DR. EVATT’S HURRIED TRIP SYDNEY, July 20 The Minister of External Affairs, Dr Evatt, revealed before leaving by air for England that he would discuss the Malayan situation with the authorities in Singapore and with British officials in London. “If the position in Malaya is serious and the British so regard it, it seems to me quite certain that the provision requested in the way of munitions will be made,hesaid.