The Financial Times of January 2nd published a table of share price rises during 1964; the top 18 were as follows:
Activity Rise Simmer and Jack Mines Gold, South Africa 143 South West Africa Base metals 140 Mount Lyell Mining and railways, S. Africa 124 Seaport Rubber Estate Rubber, Selangor, Malaya II6 City of Sao Paulo Improvements and
Freehold Land Property, Brazil 90 Fresnillo Base metals, Mexico 85 Killinghall Tin Tin, Malaya 81 Gordon Hotels Hotels and Restaurants 75 Rambutan Tin, Malaya 65 Waterval (Rustenburg) Platinum
Mining Platinum, South Africa 62 Lydenburg Platinum Platinum, South Africa FOO New Broken Hill Consolidated Base metals, Australia 61 Associated Television “A” Entertainment 60 Potgietersrust Platinum Platinum, South Africa 57 Stoll Theatres Entertainment 56 Virginia Orange Free State Gold Gold, South Africa 55 Union Platinum Mining Platinum, South Africa 53
It will be noted that out of the 18 registering more than 50% increases no less than 8 are South African, another 3 are tied up with Malaysia. Could British capitalism’s equivocation over Apartheid, its refusal to operate the UNO economic boycott have something to do with these figures? Suspicious people might think that there is some connection between the fact that the top three in the shares’ table are South African enterprise and this marked reluctance to bend in the face of the opinion of the overwhelming majority of mankind.
Soekarno charges that Malaysia is the result of the desire of British imperialism to safeguard its investments in Malaya and elsewhere in the Far East. I doubt very much if the people who run Seaport Rubber (116% increase), Killinghall Tin (81% increase) or Rambutan (65% increase) are in favour of their investments being nationalised — as they probably would be if Malaya followed the Indonesian path. Whilst one can have sympathy for these shareholders (who knows; some of them may have to get a job if they lose their investments?) I feel I have far more in common with ordinary people of Malaya. They live in one of the richest parts of the world and yet they have a pitiful standard of living. And come to that I feel far more sympathy with the poor British Tommy as he plies his way through the steaming, insect-ridden, snake-infested jungle defending ‘British’ interests.
I am un-British enough to prefer our lads alive and well at home, and the profit-mongers out of pocket. ’ by Dave Windsor STA A EG IOS ITS