G.F. 326 0003260
CONFIDENTIAL
2.
+
5.
Housing
I said that we recognised there was
substance in the arguments in the Governor's letter
against the concentration of housing programmes
on the eradication of the remaining squatter areas;
but, on the other hand, these areas were frequently
the cause of damaging criticism by tourists and
other outside visitors and you could not be
expected in view of the Prime Minister's personal
interest in this question to let matters rest.
All you were asking for was for a full study of
the problem to be made available to you. The
Governor said that consideration of these matters
could not be taken out of the hands of the Housing
Board. I agreed, and the Governor agreed to
put the problem again to the Board, for reconsideration
of their previous advice and a further study of the
problem of squatters on Crown Land not needed for
development: since it was here the remaining
problem lay - those on land needed for development
would be resettled in the normal course.
Whilst
he was not hopeful that they would find it possible
to eliminate the squatter problem early and entirely,
it might conceivably be possible by undertaking a
change or extension of policy to fad some acceptable
way of rehousing the (very much estimated)
ONGIRENTIAI