Kalgoorlie Miner (WA : 1895 - 1954), Thursday 17 June 1948, page 5


CHINESE GANGSTERS

?» »«» ? European Planters Murdered ARMED POLICE IN PURSUIT

Singapore, June 16. — Chinese gangsters this morning raided two estates in the Sungei Siput district, about 20 miles from Ipoh, and murdered three European planters. After looting their victim's bungalows, they set fire to rubber smokehouses and fled. Armed police are in pursuit.

The victims were Mr. A. E. Walker, Mr. J. M. Allison and Mr. T. G. Christian. The gangsters swooped shortly after the planters had returned to their bungalows for breakfast. Two Chinese rode up on bicycles to Mr. Walker's office on the Elphil Estate and shot him with pistols from a door and a window. Mrs. Walker, who was not attacked, was in a near-by bungalow at the time. Twelve Chinese, armed with Sten guns and revolvers, then raided the adjoining Phinsoon Estate of which Mr. Allison was manager. They tied his hands and also those of Mr. Christian, the assistant manager, and took both men to a near-by bungalow. They seized an automatic pistol recently issued to Mr. Allison by the authorities, took the men back to the office, and there shot them in cold blood while they were still tied. The 'Malay Mail' says that all European planters and miners and their families in the Sungei Siput area have been ordered to Ipoh immediately. The newspaper understands that the High Commissioner to the Federation of Malaya, Sir Edward Gent, has taken emergency powers which include capital punishment for the illegal possession of arms. Warnings have been issued throughout Malaya to all planters and their families, who are being evacuated to Kuala Lumpur. Ghurka troops have been despatched to the scene of the murders and armed police are hunting the gang. Malay Officials Murdered Two Malay officials were brutally murdered early last week in the Sungei Siput area. They were shot from ambush while riding a motor cycle along a track through the jungle, and the bodies were hacked with knives. There has been considerable labour unrest in the area for some time, with the estates troubled by intermittent strikes. A 27-year-old Malay, Mohamed Zain Bin Ramian, was yesterday charged in Penang with the murder of John Ramsden, at Caledonia Estate, on the night of June 8. Mohamed Zain was one of six Malays detained for questioning after the murder. Death Penally The High Commissioner of the Federation of Malaya, Sir Edward Gent, announced this afternoon the introduction of regulations conferring wide emergency powers in view of the prevailing lawless. ness In .regulations. These, include the death penalty for the illegal possession of arms and explosives A senior police officer in the Sungai Siput area said there was no douot that the murders had been carried out by the Communist strong arm corps, which was trying to destroy the rubber and tin industries. A Further Murder Ten Chinese gunmen this afternoon ambushed and killed a Chinese foreman near Kuali, 15 miles north of Johore Bhura. The foreman, a Kuomintang supporter, was caught on a lonely road. Disgruntled employees, who had been dismissed recently, burnt a rubber factory in the area and started several other fires. Thev Siamese police yesterday arrested a large number of Chinese Communists. Most of them were reported to be schoolteachers who had lately arrived from China. The round-up marked the beginning of an all-out anti-Communist drive