PREVENTING FURTHER SEIZURES

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

PREVENTING FURTHER SEIZURES

CABINET HAS SECRET PLAN .. LONDON, Sept. 10. The ‘ Daily , Telegraph ’ says that, on instructions from the Home Office, the Scotland Yard Special Branch is inquiring into the origin of the organisation of the West End squatter movement with a view to possible action against the instigators of the raids on the grounds of conspiracy to incite lawbreaking. The ‘Daily Express ' says that Cabinet has prepared secret plans to prevent further squatting in London and the provinces . The police in future will not stand bv and allow the occupation of buildings Troops and other official organisations have been ordered not to provide tea and comforts as they did during the week-end. Cabinet received information of further swoops being planned but Ministers believe that their counter-action will be effective. The police at Falkirk, Stirlingshire, arrested six squatters and charged

them with unlawful possession of private property. The Hatings Town Council reversed its earlier decision not to apply for prefabricated houses, and resolved to ask the Government to allocate immediately 500 prefabricated houses to the town. “ as a matter of emergency.” Speakers expressed the fear that unless the local housing situation was relieved. squatters would invade Marine Court, a nine-story block of luxury flats on the sea front, which is at present only partly occupied pending derequisition. The squatter movement has spread to Ealing, where, according to the London District Committee of the Communist Party, four families of 20 people have taken over two houses.