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8.
The Service Departments are opposed to Sun Alapawn Grautiami's
he proposal.
They envisage long and detailed
negotiations, on the lines of those over the
Murray Barracks area, which the War Office is
now going to surrender to the Government in
exchange for building works to the value of
£1.1 m. They regard these areas as based on a
similar title arising from occupancy since 1842,
and of similar value. The real point, however, o
of Service Departments opposition is that they
are not prepared now, without further examination
of title, without clearing up any claims
disputed as between the War Office and the
Admiralty, and without a thorough survey of the
value of the whole land, to make a deal on the
.ed
former
lines which the Governor suggests. It is
possible that the War Office will not in fact
wish to leave one particular lot the Wellington
Barracks area.
S
The Minister of Defence in Alexanda
fact rejects Sir Grantham's proposal as
unacceptable.
(Annex B) Rofaut
9. In his latest telegram Sir 民 Black
says that our best course would be to disregard
the complicated arguments about the Military
lands, and fall back on the straight proposal
that if the two artillery units are provided
he will secure the release of the current defence
contribution and its maintenance at £1 m. for
the period during which the units remain. This
would certainly be the simpler solution, but
it is clearly
would probably he unacceptable to the Service
probably to
Ministers and the Chancellor as it involves a
reversal of a Defence Committee decision (4)
the
of 30th May 1957 quoted inpage 250 01-28
grening paragraph
9B (58)