Policy On Housing Islanders Criticised

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31464, 2 September 1967, Page 14

Policy On Housing Islanders Criticised

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, September 1. Mr G. F. H. Forsyth, a member of the State Housing Allocation Committee in Auckland, has tendered his resignation to the Minister of Housing (Mr Rae) in protest against Government policy on the housing of Pacific Islanders in Auckland.

Mr Forsyth, who has been on the committe for about seven years, representing the Auckland City Council, said today he was “fed up” with trying to help the Islanders while the Government was blind about what he was trying to do.

The Government’s policy of allowing people from the islands to come here, without proper arrangements being made to house them was frustrating, he said. “We are no nearer to solving the problem of housing these people than we were years ago. In fact, we are a lot worse off,” said Mr Forsyth. “The whole system wants overhauling. We must be the only country in the world where the taxpayers are paying the cost of housing anybody who turns up.

f “People from the islands > are entitled to put in for a 1 State house as soon as they ; arrive, while others, sopie of > whom were born here, have to wait years.” Mr Forsyth was behind a re- : cent city council move to have : the Government inform local i authorities when people were • leaving the islands for New Zealand so that checks on aci commodation could be made on its adequacy or suitability. It has yet to receive a reply from the Minister of Island Territories (Mr Hanan).