Luxury Block Under Siege

Evening Star, Issue 25895, 12 September 1946, Page 7

Luxury Block Under Siege

Fifty squatter families, comprising IoQ people, are to-night besieged, without furniture, electricity or water, and with only one night’s food, in Abbey Lodge, which is a luxury block of flats let at up to £24 a week, says the * Daily Express.' i;Tke management has threatened to ■tarve them out, but police, who cordoned the block, prevented further intrusions, and later allowed emergency rations to be taken in. The ‘ Daily Express ’ says the Government has -issued clear instructions to the police to prevent crowds gathering to take over other buildings. The police are empowered to bring charges of unlawful assembly and to check identity cards. Cabinet will meet again to-morrow. Squatters to-night moved into the Ivanhoe Hotel, Bloomsbury, which was

recently occupied by bomb repair squads. Six families, including three expectant mothers, occupied a 12roomed house at Gateehead-on-Tyne, which the authorities had been considering converting into an emergency maternity home. ■Eight homeless families, under the supervision of local Communist organisers, moved-into a mansion at Ealing. Fountain Court, Westminster, continues to be in a 6tate of siege. Women sentries scrutinised all callers, but two men,, believed to be Ministry of Health officials, managed to enter the building. They attempted to , make a list of the occupants. The squatters’ spokesman said: “ Wejire staying here until the Government takes action.” Mr Bevan, in a letter to local authorities, announces the curtailment of licenses for non-essential repair and maintenance work in order to concentrate on the building of new homes.