UGLY CLASH IN JOHORE

Chronicle (Levin), 2 June 1948, Page 5

UGLY CLASH IN JOHORE

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter

Police Batpn Gharge Restive ' Chinese Labonrers

, Copyright)

Reeeived Wednesday, 1Q,35 a.ih. SINGAPORE, June 1.. Seven Chinese labourers were killed and ten injured today when police baton oharged 200 Chinesa at the Oban Kan-8wee estate in Jamenta, North Johore. Tne pQlic? stated that the elash oegan when a menacing mob of Chinese, armed wioh sticks, stones, oottles and spears, surrounded a large police fqrpe when it entered the estate. The Malay police,'' led by two European offlqers, charged when the mob refused* to disperse. No shots were fired and only batons were used. The police suffered no casualties, but arrested 11 other* Chinese. Europeans reeently purchased the estate from Chinese and had difficulty in managing the labourers, one-third of whoiu left the estate. The other two-thirds said they would fun it themselves. They chreatened all who tried to persuade them to leave ahd the police sent a large forqe to invesugate the situation. After the Qlash the police occupied the estate and buildings. During a debate ip the Advisory Couneil at Kuala Lumpur yesterday on labour unrest, the Police Commissioner of Malaya attacked "subversive political bodies" who- were sxhorting trade union workers to violence. Last month there were six murders on the rubber estates. Today dismissed employees set fire to "a rubber factory at Senai, i5 miles north of Johore. Two Sikh policemen were killed and nine injured when a truck, ■vhich was rushing to the scene of labour trouble at»Slim River, overourned in Singapore today.