Dearie:Russell Family History

• Page 5 Advertisements Column 1 [Advertisements] The Straits Times, 2 January 1948, Page 5 & • Page 5 Advertisements Column 1 [Advertisements] The Straits Times, 5 January 1948, Page 5  &Page 2 Advertisements Column 4 [Advertisements] The Straits Times, 7 January 1948, Page 2  &Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 [Advertisements] • The Straits Times, 9 January 1948, Page 3 Page 5 Advertisements Column 1 [Advertisements] The Straits Times, 12 January 1948, Page 5 &Page 3 Advertisements Column 1 [Advertisements] The Straits Times, 14 January 1948, Page 3  & Page 3 Advertisements Column 2 [Advertisements] The Straits Times, 9 January 1948, Page 3 MALAYAN COLLIERIES LTD. MALACOL BRICKS & TILES WELL BURNT BRICKS & TILES AVAILABLE FROM STOCK APPLY ;— J. A. RUSSELL CO.. LTD. Agents & Secretaries. P.O. BOX 245 KUALA LUMPUR

The Straits Times, 5 January 1948, Page 6 Malayan Collieries. Malayan Collieries have published and account of proceedings at the annual meeting on Dec. 8. The chairman made a number of important points which we give in brief. Present monthly capacity is 30,000 tons, which should rise to 35,000 by mid-1948 and 60,000 tons in 1949. Coal price was $12.50 per ton up to October 1946, $16.50 up to January 1947, $18 up to November 1947, and is $20.50 at date, Malayan Collieries, with the active encouragement of the Malayan Union Government is in touch with Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers Limited regarding a project to make cement in Malaya.

The Straits Times, 8 January 1948, Page 2 (Extract) Fuel supplies and prices had little or no effect on the operation of the year under review, but will be of increasing importance during the current year as the steam stations come into operation. While it is hoped that supplies of Malayan coal will prove adequate to meet requirements, the company is taking all possible precautions to ensure continuity of power supply to its customers. To that end, coal stocks are being increased far beyond what was previously considered to be necessary and the rapid handling of these stocks will require additional mobile equipment. Unfortunately the price of Malayan coal has advanced to about three times its pre-war figure, but it is hoped that with increased production a reduction in price will be possible. At the Batu Gajah steam station the turbine of the 12,000-kw. set which is being returned from Singapore is expected to be installed and ready for service by April, 1948. Regarding the original equipment at this station, all the boilers and sets No. 1 and 3. were removed by the Japanese. Set No. 3. of 3,000-kw., was installed at the Malayan Collieries, but it has now been returned and is being re-erected.

The Straits Times, 7 February 1948, Page 7 Big Cement Works For Selangor From Our Staff Correspondent KUALA LUMPUR, Friday. PLANS are nearing completion for the erection of a $7,500,000 cement factory in Selangor which will have a capacity of 100,000 tons a year, or one-third of Malaya’s pre-war requirements. Raw materials in the Kanching Hills, 10 miles from Kuala Lumpur, and on property owned by Malayan Collieries, in Rawang and Batu Arang, have been pronounced by experts as being “eminently suitable for the manufacture of a first class portland cement.” Mr. J. R. F. McKenzie, Assistant Managing Director of the Association of Portland Cement Manufacturers, Ltd., of the United Kingdom, recently paid a three-weeks visit to Malaya for consultation with the board of Malayan Collieries.

The Straits Times, 29 February 1948, Page 3 Coal Shortage Is Overcome Sunday Times Staff Reporter Malaya’s imported bunker coal situation has greatly improved over the last twelve months and most bunker requirements can now be met, a Government coal organisation representative told the Sunday Times yesterday. He said: “A year ago the shortage was really acute owing to world shortages and coal strikes in India, where most of Malaya’s bunker coal comes from. Today, however, things are much better. “The reasons for this improvement are the fact that India’s coal strikes have ceased, and because we can now get coal from South African ports. “The world’s coal situation is constantly changing, and Malaya had benefitted by the fact that South African coal which used to be sent elsewhere can now be drafted here. Domestic use “The coal is brought to Singapore and Malaya in chartered ships of various nationalities. Though not yet up to pre-war output, Malaya’s only coalfield, run by Malayan collieries at Batu Arang, is producing sufficient coal to meet all the country’s domestic requirements. Production, which was less than 10,000 tons at the beginning of last year owing to strikes and flooding of the mine, climbed to an average of about 25,000 tons by December, giving a total production for the year of 226,301 tons. •

The Straits Times, 5 March 1948, Page 2  MALAYAN COLLIERIES, LIMITED. Lost Share Certificates Application having been made to the Directors of the Company to issue to the following shareholders duplicate certificates to replace original certificates stated to have been lost or destroyed. Notice is hereby given that if within 30 days from the date hereof no claim or representation is made to the Directors, they will proceed with these applications for duplicate certificates and the lost certificates will be regarded as having been cancelled, viz:- No. Of No. of Distinctive Name of Shareholder Cert. Shares Nos. Walter Charles Darnell Deceased A-436 1,000 1904561—1905560 Arthur Thomas Wedgewood 323 60 530231—530290 Charles Ronald McArthur 2078 1,000 1445621—1446620 -- DO -- 2079 1,000 1446621—1447620 Thomas Bodden Grieve Deceased 1391 330 1800251—1800580 -- DO -- 2675 170 3188401—3188570 By Order of the Board J. A. RUSSELL & CO., LTD., (Secretaries.) Kuala Lumpur, 4th March, 1948

The Straits Times, 3 May 1948, Page 6 AN EVENTFUL WEEK Main Feature The main feature of the week was, of course, the announcement of arrangements whereby the British and Malayan Governments will provide funds over a period for the discharge of war claims. While there must be considerable doubt whether there will be much for ordinary war claims, it is clear that a great forward step has been taken in the tacit admission of liability for seizure claims under the War Goods Insurance scheme, and it is patent that the first funds available will go to make good the shortfall between the assets of this Fund and its liabilities. Among Companies known to have possessed large insured stocks on the eve of the Japanese invasion are Cold Storage, Straits Traders, United Engineers, Robinsons, McAlister and Henry Waugh and all these came in for general market support after the Claims announcement and show a distinct improvement in quotations on balance over the week. Further confidence was derived in market circles by the stern attitude taken by Government in support of the Singapore Police in their heavy task of thwarting the lawless acts of unproductive elements who seek to create disorder under cover of the trade union movement.

The Singapore Free Press, 11 August 1948, Page 1 •  GUNMEN TURN UP TWICE AT BATU CAVES • KUALA LUMPUR, Wed. • SOON after sixty per cent of the labour force on Sungei Tua estate in the Batu Caves area, turned up for work today, four armed men appeared and spoke to five of the labourers, threatening them. • The labour force, it is reported, at once stopped work again. • Yesterday a Chinese tapper from the estate was shot in the thigh, and Indian field workers were intimidated by a number of armed men, resulting in the labour force stopping work for the day. • A police patrol has been sent to the estate.

The Straits Times, 26 May 1948, Page 2 UNITED ENGINEERS LIMITED LOST SHARE CERTIFICATE Application has been made to the Directors to issue to the following Shareholder duplicate Certificate upon the Statement that the original Certificate has been lost or destroyed. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that if within 30 days hereof no claim or representation in respect of such original Certificate is made to the Directors they will then proceed to deal with such application for duplicate Certificate. By Order of the Board G. COCKBURN Secretary. In Name of: No. of Shares J. A. Russell, deceased 3, Ordinary.

The Straits Times, 6 June 1948, Page 5 THE BOOMLET DID NOT MATERIALISE An announcement of immediate interest to shareholders in Malayan Collieries was made by the chairman of Associated Portland Cement in England. He told shareholders that the company’s investment in its Malayan factory would be about £800,000 and the factory would produce 10,000 tons of cement a year. Malayan Collieries is associated with this new venture.

The Straits Times, 14 June 1948, Page 6 CAUTION ON MARKETS Cuts in Marshall Aid, and the Palestine strife only temporarily curbed, played their part, but the continuing state of violence in Malaya was the main contributing factor to disappointing markets.

The Straits Times, 9 July 1948, Page 5 696,000 WORKING DAYS LOST From Our Staff Correspondent KUALA LUMPUR, Thursday. ABOUT 696,000 working days were lost through labour disputes in 1947, an official of the Federation Labour Department revealed today. The most important strikes were those in the Malayan Collieries Ltd., Perak, the Hydro-Electric Power Company and the rubber estates in Kedah, all of which took place during the early parts of the year. During the middle of the year there were some strikes in the tin mines of Perak, followed by strikes in rubber estates throughout Malaya where Chinese contract labour was employed. In Negri Sembilan, strikes on about 18 estates took place when the 20 per cent cut in the wages paid to Chinese contract labour was imposed by the United Planting Association of Malaya. This culminated in a Malaya-wide protest strike on Aug. 25 in which about 70 per cent of the rubber estates participated. When the “hartal” was conducted, on Oct. 20 there was a general stoppage of work. A graph indicating the number of man-days lost, month by month, shows two distinct periods of labour unrest. The first period occurred between Jan. and March and the second period between July and Sept. During the first period, labour unrest reached a peak in Feb. when 95,725 man days were lost. During the second period, the peak month was Sept. when 122,860 man hours were lost. The months of June and Oct. show the least labour unrest, only 17,630 and 19,990 man-days respectively having been lost through labour disputes.

The Singapore Free Press, 12 July 1948, Page 1 TERRORISTS ATTACK ON BATU ARANG Free Press Staff Reporter The Malayan Collieries coal mine at Batu Arang, about 26 miles from Kuala Lumpur was attacked by insurgents soon after seven o’clock this morning. All telephonic communications with the mine is down, but a police report states that five Chinese employees of the mine were shot. It is not known yet how many insurgents were in the raiding party. Police and military have been rushed to the scene. Batu Arang is the only coal mine in operation in Malaya, it is serving the railways and industrial concerns.

The Straits Times, 13 July 1948, Page 4 KUALA LUMPUR, Mon.— Malayan Collieries Ltd. announced today the coal output figures for the second quarter of this year. In April, the output was 26,956 tons, in May 30,431 tons, and in June 34,753 tons

The Straits Times, 13 July 1948, Page 1 MASS ATTACK ON BATU ARANG Scores Of Raiders Seize Coal Mine, Train, Kill Five. From Our Staff Correspondent KUALA LUMPUR, Monday. MALAYA’S only coalmine—at Batu Arang, Selangor, was in terrorist occupation for nearly an hour this morning. During that time the raiders, believed to number between 70 and 100 armed Chinese— Killed five Chinese, most of whom had been singled out; Attacked the police station, manned by 16 men but wounded none; Held up a railway station and a train and confined more than 50 station staff, labourers and passengers for more than half an hour; Damaged three giant dragline excavators and eight trailers, either with gunfire or hammers; Placed guards at some of the European residences and fired warning shots to keep the occupants inside. Mr. J. W. Elliot, general manager of Malayan Collieries, Ltd., told the Straits Times later: “It was a well planned attack. The two places where the main mechanical damage was done are two miles apart.” As far as coal production is concerned,” he added, “assuming that labour continues to work normally, we shall continue to produce normally. “The damage to the machinery may affect production in a month or two if it is irreparable.” Mr. Elliot added “that the labourers turned out to work today” in much better numbers than we could have expected.” He said that the European members of the mine turned out on a pre-arranged scheme. “So far as we know at present,” he added, “there was nobody among the raiders seen who were known to our employees but from the damage done there must have been some who knew more than a little about this mine and its machinery.” ‘Phones Were Cut The attack on Batu Arang—a township of about 12,000 people—began soon after 7 a.m. An hour earlier, however, the sergeant in the police station had tried to contact Rawang police station, eight miles away. The telephone line was lifeless. He tried Batang Berjuntal station, but the line in that direction was cut too. “I suspected something was wrong,” said the sergeant,”I directed my men to stand to.” “At 7.10, I was standing in front of the police station when I heard shots from behind the police barracks at the rear of the station. “Through a window on the first floor of the barracks I saw about 15 Chinese shooting at us. “They were lying behind heaps of stones, in the theatre, from the public restaurant— all about 50 yards away.” The police returned the fire. “We think we hit two, for we saw two men being carried off,” said the sergeant. Later in the day came a report that a body was lying on the edge of the jungle around Batu Arang. The police went to search for it. Bus Ambushed The bandits hit no police although they pitted the brick barrack wall. Meanwhile, out on the approach road to Batu Arang, the raiders had placed an ambush. A bus loaded with passengers from Rawang turned a bend, and a burst of fire cut into its radiator. A bullet seared right through and hit the Chinese driver in the left leg. The bus stopped. ..The passengers were ordered to keep still. More vehicles were held up. The block lasted some time. Back in the town a party of killers sought out their victims. They found Ng Peng San, described by Mr. Elliot as being the chief mining overseer. The bandits killed him. Kow Cheok, proprietor of one or two businesses in Batu Arang, fled from a coffee shop when he heard shots. He put his little son on his bicycle and started riding down the road. Bullets brought him down. As he lay on the ground, the raiders fired more bullets into his head. The boy went screaming down the road but was untouched by the raiders. He had an abrasion on his arm sustained when he fell off the bicycle. Train Held Up The raiders entered the Kuomintang branch office just opposite the police station. They took out Chan Kum Yuen, its clerk and killed him in a side lane. The raiders also killed a Chinese lorry driver and a Chinese fitter foreman. About half a mile beyond the village, a group of raiders converged on the railway station which runs from Rawang through Kuang to Batang Berjuntal. The approaching train was stopped by two men just before it reached the station. One of the men was in uniform and wearing a Japanese army-type cap. Fifteen armed men surrounded the station. The passengers and labourers and the crew of the train were herded into the office of the stationmaster (Mr. N. Nagalingam) who had been in Batu Arang five days as a relief. They rounded up more passengers in the waiting room and herded them into the same room. “Eventually” Mr. Nagalingam told the Straits times. “there were fifty of us in the small room. We were ordered to put our hands up. “They searched our pockets but took nothing from us. Mystery Girl “As this was going on, a young girl—aged about 17 I should say—dressed fully in black, walked quickly through the crowd and went straight for the Red Cross Box in my office. “She picked it up and went out with a smile. She was not stopped by anybody. “We were moved to the waiting room. Gradually the number of the raiders increased and at the end I think there were nearly 40 around us, all armed. “One man was giving instructions. “The raiders left at 8.30, taking with them $25 from the station till. “This seemed a good opportunity to send for help,” said Mr. Nagalingam. The engine driver offered to take his engine to Kuang. He got as far as the railway crossing where he was stopped by more bandits. He was told that if he went any further he would be shot. He immediately backed the train into Batu Arang. From the waiting room shots were heard coming from the village. One raider said to the victims: “We do not want anything from you. We only want European property. We are going to shoot every European.” Pistol Point Meanwhile, the machinery on the mine was being damaged. The driver of one great dragline excavator was ordered at pistol point to drive his machine over the edge of the pit. It lumbered over and down but got stuck about 20 feet below the edge. Hammers and bullets were used to damage the water pumps and compressors of the trailers. At Rawang, police failed to communicate with Batu Arang. This aroused suspicions, and a party left for the mine. Police reinforcements from Kuala Lumpur and Kuala Kubu arrived at Batu Arang just before eleven o'clock and began an immediate drive in the direction in which the raiders had disappeared. Gurkhas were also sent to the mine. THE EXCAVATOR which the driver was forced to drive over the pit. —Straits Times Photos: THE BUS which was on its way from Rawang to Batu Arang which was stopped at an ambush. An armed policeman points to the bullet hole which resulted in the wounding of the driver. Another bullet hole may be noticed on the radiator itself. —Straits Times picture. THE POLICE STATION which was attacked. —Straits Times Picture.

The Straits Times, 14 July 1948, Page 6 BATU ARANG DISGRACE (Leader) The public has almost become inured to sensational news of violence and bloodshed in Malaya in recent months, but the story from Batu Arang printed on our front page yesterday must have been read with amazement and anger throughout the country—amazement that such things can happen, and anger that such things should be allowed to happen, under British administration. A force of between seventy and a hundred armed Chinese take possession of a town of twelve thousand people for nearly an hour in broad daylight, seize a railway station and a train and keep some fifty passengers under confinement, murder five persons, and sabotage coal-mining machinery—and, while all this is going on, keep the defenders of the town penned impotently in their barracks. All this happens in a place which is one of the vital points of the economy of Malaya, on which the Malayan railways depend for their coal, and many tin dredges and other industrial undertakings too. A few more setbacks like that, and British prestige in this country is going to be right where the Communist rebels want it to be—and it is no use the Federation Government applying the Emergency Powers to the Straits Times for saying so, for it is the blunt truth, and a truth that was in the mind of every loyal person in this country yesterday as he read the account of the disgraceful and humiliating happenings at Batu Arang. Batu Arang has long been a danger spot. It was the scene of the first large-scale manifestation of Communist violence in the Peninsula—somewhere about 1938, when a large force of police had to attack a body of Chinese Communists who had taken possession of the town. Since the war there has been a great deal of trouble with turbulent elements in the labour employed there by Malayan Collieries. Yet we read in the report published yesterday that the garrison of the town consisted of only sixteen policeman. These policemen took refuge in their barracks, and small blame to them, seeing that they were hopelessly outnumbered, and perhaps were without automatic weapons as well. But suppose that there had been a platoon of fully armed British troops in Batu Arang, with or without an officer, and suppose there had been a few among them who had fought in Burma or North Africa or Europe—can we believe that the bandits would have been able to rampage through the town like that, murdering and wrecking at will! And was not Batu Arang a place of sufficient economic importance to call for the stationing of an adequate defence force there? We know that the Federation Police have not enough men to meet all the demands that are being made of them today, but it is not possible for the army to say that, since the Army command has stated repeatedly its opinion that there are enough troops in the country, if they are properly used and make full use of modern weapons and equipment. The mines manager at Batu Arang has stated that he asked for troops, and that the Army promised to send a platoon of Gurkhas, but they never came. The only deduction that can be drawn is that the Army could not spare a platoon of Gurkhas at that particular time, which hardly bears out the assurances that there are enough troops to meet all requirements. Now, too late, a military guard has been sent to Batu Arang. It is becoming clear that communications are of paramount importance in this war in the Federation, and that so long as police and Army have to depend upon telephone wires they are going to be too late every time. Already plans have been set afoot for two-way wireless all over the country, but is this network going to be close enough? The present proposal is that the network shall go down to the police level of O. S. P. C. But O. S. P. Cs are only stationed in the larger towns. What happens when a village police station is attacked and the wires are cut? Surely there will have to be two-way wireless everywhere, if reinforcements are to be rushed to any threatened village with sufficient speed to foil bandit raids. That is going to take a great deal of equipment and money, and to call for much additional training of police personnel. But is there any alternative? In the last few days the public has been cheered by evidence that the police and troops have been getting to grips with the terrorists more effectively. This is a war of attrition in which every skirmish counts, because it reduces the Communists’ resources of men, weapons and ammunition, and—unless there is replenishment from outside—the end is inevitable sooner or later. As the full effect of the police and military measures makes itself felt, and as wireless communications improve, the security of the small towns and villages will presumably be much greater than it is at the moment. But can the British administration in the Federation afford to wait while all this is being done? Can the public outside the larger towns be expected to retain their confidence in Government when they read such news as this attack on Batu Arang? Can British prestige in this country stand the strain? If we are told that there is nothing for it but to wait until the existing police and military forces have cleaned up the Communists, and that we must just put up with bad news while that process is going on, we can only say that we do not yet feel satisfied that everything is being done that could be done to give the widest and fullest security to the population. Whether more regular troops are called for or not, it is standing out a mile that something will have to be done, and done quickly, to give better protection to communities at present defended only by small parties of police; and, further, that protection will have to be extended while the hunting operations against the bandits in the settled districts and in the jungle are going on. It is no use talking to the villages about military strategy and tactics. All they want to see is their defenders going outside their barracks and carrying the battle to the enemy. That, when a band of fifty to a hundred insurgents attack, is a job for trained soldiers rather than police, and, as things are now, it looks as if the British administration in the Federation cannot hope to win back the confidence of the people until there are soldiers in many more towns and villages than there are at present.

The Straits Times, 14 July 1948, Page 1 20 MINE WORKERS DETAINED European Wives Quit Batu Arang From Our Staff Correspondent KUALA LUMPUR, Tuesday. ABOUT 20 Chinese and Indian men and women at Batu Arang colliery were to-day detained by the Selangor police, investigating yesterday’s terrorist attack on the township. A Selangor police spokesman said: “It is likely that some of them may be released after examination.” Nearly all European women and children were evacuated from the mine area to Kuala Lumpur today. Only three European wives stayed on. The body of a Chinese was found by police late yesterday after following blood trails left by the gangsters after their attack on Batu Arang police station. Men in the station had reported that they saw two wounded Chinese being carried away after the battle. Mr. J. W. Elliot, general manager of Malayan Collieries, Ltd., said today that life was normal at the collieries. “We achieved half our normal output yesterday,” he said, “and we expect the output to be normal today.” Military reinforcements were stationed at Batu Arang last night. (Extract)

The Straits Times, 15 July 1948, Page 10 AMPAT DREDGING MADE £56,440 PROFIT The dredge at Batu Caves section continued to work throughout the year. Its running hours were restricted owing to lack of power supply in February and March (on account of a coal strike at the Malayan Collieries) and throughout most of the remainder of the year because of restricted hours of power supply by the Government Electrical Department (since their plant at Kuala Lumpur had not been fully rehabilitated.)

The Straits Times, 19 July 1948, Page 6 Markets Worsen With The Crisis News From A Market Correspondent DEEPENING of the Berlin crisis, Italian and French disturbances and Communist attacks in Malaya, notably at the country’s only coal mine, made further deterioration inevitable in Malayan markets. It is a wonder local markets were not more affected last week. The confidence shown by a number of operators in absorbing scrip from forced sales was most heartening. It is certain that amelioration in the European situation would bring speedy recovery. Our energetic police action in Singapore in carrying war to the enemy by surprise raids over wide areas has led to very favourable comment in market circles, particularly among the Chinese section. Malayan Collieries suffered mostly from shock on the disclosure that, despite requests from the management, no military aid had been afforded until after the Communist attack. But all information available points to damage being small and although production may be reduced for a few days, current consumption can be met from stocks.

Letter from William Gemmell to Tristan Russell: Date could be 24 January 1948 or 14 July 1948. My dear Tris, Herewith the B. M. G. stamps-a complete set. Mum has a set of unusual ones for you too. I have had a busy time here since I arrived a fortnight ago and have again got a good grip of affairs generally. (1) The rubber estate Sungei Tua is making only a small profit and is not likely to make much more in the near future. Say $20,000 (A Straits dollar is 2/4) (2) Boh is not in quite such good trim as last year owing to the kaleoptera pest, but should show a profit only about 30% less than last year. Say $120,000 (3) The tin interests have not yet got going & won’t give much this year. (4) Collieries should be declaring a small dividend in 1949 less but nothing this year. (5) A 20% Income tax is now in place. It looks therefore that for 1948 your father’s company will pay again a small dividend only, say 5%. From 1949 a 10% dividend seems probable. Generally conditions here have settled down a lot and are on a fairly good basis. We leave on Thursday for Singapore and on Monday for Hong Kong. When we get to San Francisco I shall cable our arrival. You will probably have messages then! Mum is very tired with so many parties and the heat, which has been pretty great. I hope you are getting on well with your studies. Much love Dad.

The Straits Times, 26 July 1948, Page 6 Berlin Biggest Influence On Markets From A Market Correspondent. IN Malaya the summoning of increased forces to cope with the Communist insurgents had a reassuring effect, despite continued attacks by their extremely active hordes, but it was the trend in Berlin that mainly influenced Malayan markets during the week. When by Thursday it became clear that a limit had been reached beyond which the Soviets would not dare, there was a sharp revulsion of feeling and sellers withdrew, particularly so in Tins, which provided the major part of the business.

The Singapore Free Press, 30 July 1948, Page 1 24 insurgents slain near B. Arang 30 prisoners in big attack Free Press Staff Reporter KUALA LUMPUR, Friday. A STRONG combined Police and Army force began a large scale attack on insurgent areas near the Malayan Collieries coal fields at Batu Arang at dawn today. Preliminary reports from the battle area received just before noon state that 24 insurgents have been killed and 30 taken prisoner. The operation continues. The insurgent haunts were in jungle territory just outside the coal mine area. Preparations for today’s attack were made in the utmost secrecy. Malayan Collieries, it will be recalled, was attacked by a large force of insurgents early this month. They shot dead five Chinese, did considerable damage to mine machinery and held up a train. A few days later police arrested thirty suspects in Batu Arang town. A police officer told the Free Press that the combined striking force took the insurgents completely by surprise. Debussing from trucks on a road near the mine, troops and police at once fanned out to squatter areas in the jungle, and soon made contact with the enemy. Strong Point At one point the police stormed a strongly defended sentry post, killing two insurgents who were inside. In the hut were four revolvers and a complete armourer’s kit. A number of buildings in each of several insurgent areas were destroyed by fire. The smoke could be seen from many miles away. Pilots of Malayan Airways aircraft flying over the area also reported big fires. There is complete liaison between ground forces and Auster spotting aircraft, and extensive use is being made of radio communication.

The Straits Times, 11 August 1948, Page 7  FORCED TO STOP WORKING From Our Staff Correspondent KUALA LUMPUR, Tues. MOST of the labour force on Sungei Tua estate, in the Batu Caves area outside Kuala Lumpur, stopped work today after intimidation by armed insurgents. Police protection has been asked for by the management. At half-past five this morning, two Chinese tappers were on their way to Sungei Tua when they were fired at by half a mile from the estate. One of them was wounded in the thigh. His bicycle was stolen from him. At nine o’clock about six armed insurgents confronted Indian field workers on the estate and ordered them to stop work. “ You must not work if you do not want to die,” they said. Soon afterwards, the labour force returned to the factory. They refused to return to work. The Indians went back to their lines, and the Chinese to their homes outside the estate. The labour force numbers 140 Indian and Chinese men and women. A labour department official said today that this was the first instance of cessation of work due to intimidation since the emergency began.

Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 [Advertisements] The Straits Times, 14 August 1948, Page 6  , Page 4 Advertisements Column 1 [Advertisements] The Straits Times, 16 August 1948, Page 4  & • Page 6 Advertisements Column 1 [Advertisements] The Straits Times, 17 August 1948, Page 6  CLASSIFIED ADS. MALAYAN Collieries Limited, Batu Arang, has vacancy for young Chinese junior clerk. Apply in writing enclosing copy testimonials.

The Straits Times, 19 August 1948, Page 4  Tappers Back After Threats IN the Straits Times leading article of last Monday it was stated that since the attack on Telok Sangat Estate, in the Kota Tinggi district, "there have been two more attacks on estates by large bandit gangs in Johore and one in Selangor." The police authorities in Kuala Lumpur point out that there has been no large scale attack on any estate in Selangor this month, and think that our statement must have been based on exaggerated reports of an incident on Sungei Tua Estate near Batu Caves, on Aug. 10. Accordingly, they have provided a detailed statement of what happened at Sungei Tua….. “At 6.30 a.m. On Aug. 10 two Chinese labourers going to work on Sungei Tua Estate were shot at and wounded, but the figures did not exceed five Chinese. About an hour later, Tamil labourers reported that they were warned by 10 Chinese to quit work but they did not state that the Chinese were armed. (Police investigations made immediately afterwards, cut this figure from 10 to five). “As a result of this, a stoppage of work occurred on the estate on that day. “The next day only 12 per cent of the Chinese tappers turned out to work, but day by day the percentage has increased, until on the 15th when there were 75 per cent back, and the manager expects to have the remainder back after the Chinese festival on the 18th.”

The Straits Times, 26 August 1948, Page 4 POLICE ACTIONS; 9 BANDITS DIE From Our Staff Correspondent KUALA LUMPUR, Wednesday. ……….. A Kuala Lumpur police ambush party at 8.20 p. m. yesterday saw two Chinese approaching along the railway line at the Malayan Collieries, Batu Arang. One of them was wearing khaki drill and a three-star cap. When challenged both of them ran away and were fired on. One was shot dead. He was found to be armed with a fully loaded .22 revolver and 50 rounds of ammunition and was carrying a pact containing rice and clothing. (Extract)

The Straits Times, 1 October 1948, Page 1 3 BANDITS KILLED BY POLICE From Our Staff Correspondent KUALA LUMPUR, Thurs. THREE terrorists were killed this morning in a gun battle with police near Utan Simpan Estate in Rawang about 26 miles from Kuala Lumpur. The police located a hut in a jungle and as they converged on it the three terrorists opened fire. In the gun battle that followed the terrorists were killed. There were no police casualties. The police found one Japanese rifle, a revolver and a quantity of ammunition.

Malayan Collieries [Articles] The Straits Times, 12 October 1948, Page 11 Malayan Collieries From Our Staff Correspondent KUALA LUMPUR. Mon. MALAYAN Collieries coal production figures for the third quarter of 1948 are: July 31,639 tons. August 33.261 tons, September 31,534 tons.

The Straits Times, 17 October 1948, Page 7 MYSTERY EXODUS FROM BATU ARANG Hundreds of squatters quit Sunday Times Staff Reporter KUALA LUMPUR, Saturday. SQUATTERS have carried out a mysterious evacuation from the Batu Arang district of Selangor during the last few weeks and the police are unable to trace them. A similar, though smaller move, has been made from the Kajang district. Both areas were once Communist strongholds. Hundreds of squatters—men, women and children—have packed their belongings, left their huts and small holdings and completely disappeared. “They moved either on Communist orders or because the district was too hot for them,” a police spokesman told the Sunday Times today. “The move from Batu Arang has only become apparent during the past few weeks. The squatters must have gone in dribs and drabs, because we have no idea where they have gone,” he said. “If it had been a mass move we would certainly have known.” The Malayan Collieries at Batu Arang was the scene of a big terrorist attack in July when five Chinese were murdered, the police station attacked, the railway station held up, and mine machinery damaged. The terrorists came from the huge squatter area around the coalfield. Hitting back, the police and army swept the terrorists’ hideout, killing 22 and taking 47 prisoners. Since that time the area has been reasonably quiet, but that did not mean that no terrorists were there, the spokesman said. “I did not realise just how big the squatter area was until I flew over Batu Arang on reconnaissance,” he said. “The emergency has shown us squatter areas we never dreamed existed.” Squatters have moved only from the worst parts of Batu Arang district, and a few families are still there. It is thought likely that the squatters have moved into kampongs and small towns, or that they have gone to new squatter areas, such as Ulu Selangor, where increased terrorist activity has been noticed.

The Straits Times, 19 October 1948, Page 5 5,000 SQUATTERS FORCED OUT OF BATU ARANG AREA From Our Staff Correspondent KUALA LUMPUR, Monday. FIVE thousand squatters were forced to quit the Batu Arang coalfields district last month because of a registration scheme introduced in the area by Malayan Collieries. The general manager of the coalfields (Mr. W. J. M. Elliott) told the Straits Times today that the company’s own registration scheme, which is supplementary to the Government one, will by Nov. 1 cover everyone living or working in the district. The coalfield covers 9,000 acres and until last month, its squatter area was a hide-out for terrorists. Now no squatters remain on the property.” “Many of them have gone to Kuala Lumpur and other towns,” said Mr. Elliott. All the 2,500 employees of Malayan Collieries have been registered, and registration is now being extended to cover dependants over 12 years of age, shopkeepers, barbers and anyone else of use to the community. In addition every house on the property has also been registered. ”We threatened to destroy buildings which were not registered,” said Mr. Elliott. That threat put the unauthorised squatters to flight he believed. Anyone on the coalfield who has no card will be liable to arrest by security forces after November 1. Mr. Elliot said the scheme had been carefully thought out. The management had first asked the Government to do the job, but the request was refused as national registration was imminent. Sponsored “So we decided to have our own, and as far as we are concerned the only recognised identity card on the coalfield will be ours,” said Mr. Elliott. “Of course, when national registration is started, our people will have to register,” he added. Every registered person at Batu Arang has first of all to be sponsored. He is then given a card on which are his photograph and thumb prints. Direct employees have different coloured cards from dependents and tradesmen. The market at Batu Arang has been enclosed, and the only entrance to it is by the police station. “After November 1, the only people who will be able to buy or sell there will be those with our identity cards,” said Mr. Elliot.

The Straits Times, 27 November 1948, Page 2 MALAYAN COLLIERIES LIMITED (Incorporated in the Federation of Malaya). DIRECTORS John Drysdale, Esq., (chairman). Erroll David Shearn, Esq., John Harrison Clarkson, Esq., Francis Scott Mc Fadzean, Esq., (Government Nominee). William Morley Warren, Esq., Herbert Willoughby Moxon, Esq., AGENTS AND SECRETARIES. J. A. Russell and Co., Ltd., Kuala Lumpur. GENERAL MANAGER J. W. Elliot, Esq., REGISTERED OFFICE Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Buildings, Kuala Lumpur. Notice is hereby given that the Thirtieth General Meeting of the members of the company will be held at the Registered Office of the Company, Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Buildings, Kuala Lumpur on Monday 6th December 1948 at 12.00 noon for the following purposes:- To receive and consider the balance sheet and accounts to 30th June 1948, and the reports of the Directors and Auditors. To declare a dividend for the year ended 30th June 1948. To declare directors’ remuneration for the year ended 30th June 1948. To approve a supplementary payment for war compassionate allowance to members of the staff who were interned by the Japanese. Te elect directors in place of those retiring. To appoint auditors for the ensuing year. The Share Register will be closed from Monday, December 6th 1948 to Monday, December 13th 1948, both days inclusive. By Order of the Board. J. A. Russell and Co. Ltd, Secretaries. Dated 27th November 1948 Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Buildings, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya.

The Straits Times, 27 November 1948, Page 8  Kuala Lumpur 's Unwanted Dogs "FEMINA" WRITES ON.... KUALA Lumpur, Friday. The little publicised, hard working Malayan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is more than a year old now and the public will hear of its good work for the first time at the first annual general meeting which has been set for Dec 17. (Summary: 1200 dogs taken off streets, woman volunteers and one van, annual report, polio scare stopped volunteers going to thickly populated areas, as soon as emergency comes to an end work of collecting dogs will be recommenced, work to stop cruelty, markets visited, breaches of regulations, several prosecutions, names of patrons, including all the Sultans, High Commissioner, radio talks, children’s league, badges, literature, car badge, poster competition for schools, present council includes Mrs. J. H Clarkson. ) (1319 words)

The Straits Times, 28 November 1948, Page 1 Malayan cement works planned Sunday Times Staff Correspondent KUALA LUMPUR, Saturday. FINAL agreement is expected soon for erection of a cement works for Malaya planned by Malayan Collieries and the Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers. This is disclosed by Mr. J. Drysdale, chairman of Malayan Collieries, in the statement to be presented at the annual meeting of the company on Dec. 6. Two technical experts from the British Cement Co. arrived at Kuala Lumpur in May and spent much time seeking the most suitable site for the works and sources of raw materials. “It is hoped,” says Mr. Drysdale, “that full agreement will shortly be reached on the most suitable financial structure for the undertaking.”

The Straits Times, 28 November 1948 p5 Malayan Collieries has announced that a dividend will be proposed at the annual meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Dec. 6. The amount of this distribution is unknown as the accounts have not come to hand. The market, however, expects something between five and 7 ½ per cent.

The Straits Times, 29 November 1948, Page 6 COLLIERIES’ 5 PER CENT $829,000 Profit Whittled Back From Our Staff Correspondent KUALA LUMPUR, Sunday. Malayan Collieries produced 324,962 tons of saleable coal in the year ended June 30 1948. This was an increase over the previous year’s production of 130,000 tons. The profit amounted to $829,391, but the addition of the surplus on reconstruction suspense account and the debiting of the balance brought forward reduced the total to $766,432. The directors recommend, in their report which will be presented to the annual meeting on Dec. 6, the payment of a five per cent dividend less income tax. In his statement, the chairman (Mr. J. Drysdale) says: “Co-operation and assistance provided subsequent to the attack by both Government and security forces has been most satisfactory and the present situation at Batu Arang gives me confidence that law and order will be maintained.” He says that the labour position showed considerable improvement over the previous year, and the higher wage rate agreed benefitted the staff and labour generally. The effect on the costs, was, however, partly offset by the increased economy of labour in production and the greater tonnage of coal won. When the mine was attacked by terrorists on July 18, says Mr. Drysdale, strong representation had already been made to Government for protection against a possible attack but no military or additional police had been provided on the property and hence no effective resistance to the terrorists could be offered when they attacked the mine. Staff Efforts Acceleration of the delivery of spare parts, and the efforts of the staff brought early repairs to damaged plant, and stripping operations were recommended in time to avoid any serious loss of coal. Mr. Drysdale goes on to say that owing to higher production costs, the price of coal was increased to $20.50 a ton from November last year. The price had been maintained and had become “still more competitive as a result of the higher cost of alternative types of fuel.” Mr. Drysdale says: “It is greatly to be hoped that the combination of security and economy will result in increased sales during the coming year.” “It would be advantageous to the wider economic situation including dollar economy to replace imported fuel by Malayan coal wherever practical and it is to be hoped that this will be fully realised by those who are in a position to make such expansion possible.” On the development of the mines, the chairman says that the two underground mines have reached a stage at which almost all future work will be in new ground. Mechanical Aid A considerable quantity of mechanical equipment has been installed in the mines. Underground development and production, however, are still behind schedule and a large proportion of production has been from open-cast mines to re-establish the occupation production of the mines. Pre-occupation claims on the Army for requisitioned explosives had been settled but the claim on the R.A.F. for earth-moving equipment is at present in the hands of the Under-Secretary of State for Air in London. The general manager of the Collieries (Mr. J. W. Elliot) says in his report that all coal requirements were met and the rate of production was at times restricted by the lack of demand. “It is anticipated that by December,” he says, “all coal-winning operations will be taking place in ground undisturbed by old workings and that once labour and staff become accustomed to the use of machinery installed, the rate of coal output will materially increase.” New parts required to repair all the excavating equipment had been received. A large overhaul programme would be undertaken in the coming year. The directors are recommending the payment of $20,000 as directors fees, $13,000 as a supplementary payment for war compassionate allowance to members of the staff interned by the Japanese. A $350,000 reserve for repayment of the rehabilitation loan, a $200,000 reserve for payment of income tax and a payment of five per cent dividend less income tax absorbing $137,336. This will leave a balance of $46,219 to be carried forward to next year’s account.

The Straits Times, 7 December 1948, Page 11 Malayan Collieries From Our Staff Correspondent KUALA LUMPUR, Mon. MESSRS. J. H. Clarkson and W. M. Warren were re-elected directors of Malayan Collieries, at the annual general meeting of the company in Kuala Lumpur to-day. Mr. J. Drysdale, the chairman presided. The report and accounts were adopted and a five per cent. dividend agreed upon, to absorb $137,366.

The Straits Times, 8 December 1948, Page 1 Father And Son Killed At Meal From Our Staff Correspondent KUALA LUMPUR, Tues. BANDITS today shot dead Mr. Song Keng Sing, 57-year-old housing clerk of Malayan Collieries, and his 22-year-old-son, Mr. Song Wai Leng. They were murdered in their home at Kampong Simpah, near Batu Arang, 27 miles from Kuala Lumpur. The bandits burst into the house while Mr. Song, his wife and six other members of the family were at lunch. The terrorists ordered everyone at the table to put up their hands. Indian Missing Then they singled out the father and son and shot them as the others watched. The bandits then ran out of the house and disappeared. It was not until about 10 minutes later that the others came out of the house. An Indian labourer who went to work in the same mine yesterday has not returned to his home.

• Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 [Advertisements] • The Straits Times, 8 December 1948, Page 2 • Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 [Advertisements] The Straits Times, 9 December 1948, Page 2  NOTICE, MALAYAN COLLIERIES Notice is hereby given that the thirtieth general meeting of the members of the company was held at the registered office of the company, Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Buildings, Kuala Lumpur on Monday the 6th December, 1948 at noon. Also that payment of a dividend of 5 per cent. less 20 per cent. income tax, in respect of the year ended 30th June 1948 was approved. The share register is closed from Monday, Dec. 6th to Monday, Dec. 13th 1948, both days inclusive for the preparation of dividend warrants. By Order of the Board. J. A. RUSSELL & CO., LTD., Secretaries. Dated 7th Dec., 1948 Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Bldg., Kuala Lumpur.

The Straits Times, 19 December 1948, Page 7 The industrial section was the only bright spot in the market and all counters, with the sole exception of Malayan Collieries, were better. There is nothing to account for the lack of interest in Collieries, in fact it is surprising that some improvement did not result from the issue of what must be considered a very satisfactory report.

The Straits Times, 28 December 1948, Page 4 LABOUR DISPUTES MADE 1947 BLACK YEAR EXCEPT IN TIN From Our Staff Correspondent KUALA LUMPUR, Monday. MR. R. G. D. Houghton, writing his report for 1947 as Labour Commissioner, shows how an active employers’ association, working towards uniformity in wage levels, was able to restrain labour disputes is the tin industry while strikes and lock-outs were general elsewhere. His report says that 696,036 man-days were lost that year in the Federation of Malaya through labour disputes. The worst month was September, when 122,862 man-days were lost in 23 major strikes. The losses in man-days during the year were: January 55,651, February 95,725, March 85,401, April 30,278, May, 38,001, June 17,626, July 69,174, August 97,052, September 122,862, October 19,988, November 30,628 and December 33,650. The August and September figures showed one result of the 20 per cent cut in the contract cutting rate caused by the fall in the rubber price in May. The figures in these two months were raised by a strike at the Railway Workshops in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur. Arbitrated The high figure for the first quarter came largely from a strike at the Malayan Collieries. The May figure was caused by a strike in the Perak River Hydro-Electric Company. There were 280 major strikes and industrial disputes in 1947. Early in the year there strikes and riots on rubber estates. There were also disputes in sawmills and sago mills, where wage rates were well above those in other comparable undertakings and where employers were trying to reduce them. Strikes at Batu Arang and Perak Hydro caused a serious output loss till settled by arbitration. In sawmills and sago mills wage rates were adjusted mainly by the closing down of works and employers’ refusal to reopen till workers were prepared to accept more reasonable terms and conditions. Wage Uniformity Disputes were less frequent in the tin industry, says Mr. Houghton, chiefly because of the successful operation of the Malayan Mining Employers’ Association. This body quickly achieved uniformity in wage levels and conditions in both European and Asian-owned undertakings. It kept them in line with those paid by good employers outside the industry. In the planting industry, wage rates were much more uneven until the Malayan Planting Industries Employers’ Association came into being and tackled the problem.