WHO IS LIABLE?

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 910, 1 September 1910, Page 8

WHO IS LIABLE?

THE UPKEEP OF RAILWAY FENCES. . A , 'LEGAL OPINION. There is mi uneasy feeling among the settlers whoso properties abut on to the Manawatu railway line, consequent upon tho Government disclaimiux any liability to repair or keep such fences in order. The matter has been taken' up by , Mr. F. W. Smith r of.Paekakariki, who has obtained a legal opinion on the,matter from. Messrs. Bell, Gully, . Bell, and Myers, which we publish for the information, of the settlers .along the line from , Wellington to Lohgburu. The opinion is as follows ;—: ■'.■'■> ■.-■■..

■■■"I, have to inform, you that the Department has no. liability in respect to thouiauitenance of these fences, 'rhe Ueparttneut took over tho line .free of all rights and agreements entered into by. the Wellingtoii-Manawatu Kailway Co. Under, ;t)ie circumstances the question of keeping'fences,in repair now falls upou the adioiniug landowners, and you are responsible for keeping your stock from trespassing on the railway. . • "On receiving this letter from you, we .again.perused .theV'deed' of covenant 'entered,' into.'by the Manawatu Kailway Company and yourself on June 28.' 1888. By ttiat.deed the 'company covenanted for ittolf, its successors, and 'assigns' at all tiimy thereafter ..at its own .costs, and charges to construct, maintain, and keep in proper repair arid condition all dividing fences, and gates.between.the livnas taken arid your land-adjoining, , and further .covenanted , to indemnify you .against all losses, ■ damages", and ; expenses which' youjnight incur, or'sustain. by reason of any failuro on the part of tie company to perform its covenants. It was further agreed that a copy of the, deed .of covenant, should be:annexed to the j vestirig order -ma,de under .' the jßailways Construction and Land Act," so that tho land so,taken by the company should be.subject to the provisions of the-.deed. .' •■"•. ~ thereupon; wrote to. the liquidator of the, ilanawafti Railway, Compaicy calling, his' 'attention to; thekleed. and- the .at-, titude. taken up! by. , the Government, ..and asking him to retairi in hand: sufßcient •moneys to meet-the oliligatiori .imposed upon-the company-by the deed of coveriant.->-'<' /■■''•.' ■■■.■ ■■■ ■'■•■'/ ■ : : i'-'. c-.v'-;:^-.; ;;' ."Wβ; have since conferred'• ■ '.with , tho. 'company's solicitors,', who: have now writ, 'ten 1 us'as follows:—.y' ••../■;'■, v> ; ''• i ■ "'Mr.''Harinay.'■ :i:eceiveU-Vand-y; . handed; to us your letter of- 19th .in-.: etarit; addressed, .to' the. Liquidator. Wellington and Manawatu .Kailway 'Company, .Ltd.'^Mr.-..Justice Cooper,;by, order,of Februavy i, 1910, ;fixed i 'Tuesday,. 19th;day, ; .of April,. 1910;-.; as ■ day.!on;or before -which'. claims, might ••;. '•,. ..be 'made upon the company, h All the... ■ : moriey 'iu'.hands'rof , liquidators. ...was... ' paid, away on- expiration ■■ of last-men-; ; tibned date..: The ..company held its. ." 'final meeting o'n April 2iyarid is now: ■ '.'■/defunbti'.'. :■,'■,■■/ '::■■■)■ ■■. '■;.. •',■'■•■.'■'.■ '■:'.."'■':■'■.■ ■■■:-.'

: "We'.are informed further hy- the company's 'solicitors-, that -when the Govern-. ,ment:took over the railway..lhie.their at- , txmtipii -was.called tu thu -existenct) -'.;,uf these' deeds F .of. covenant,. and, indeed,. if tlio -intention foreshadowed in ,the deed of affising.a. copy to order ..was carried into .effect, it'.is-difficult..to understand: 1 how the jprovisions of. the deed escaped tho nitice of the. Government of■ficors;: - .''■• •■.".■■ ',-''vAv".■■'■'" ■■.■..'■'' •"■.- ■-•':-'!■■'■■"

"6n ; looking, - however, '■. at the .Welling- ' ton arid Manawatur : Eailway : -Purchase : ■Act, 1908,-it is clear: that;.the Crown ac-: quired the.' railway Vline , "free -from ; . any. : right'or. interest: vested in any;-other. per 7 son. fort your information- Sec-, tion 2i of that 'Act as follows:—;. ' ■ ;' ; .' "'On- the'comniehcement .'.of . the,.. ..'seventh day of .■'■■ December,'" nineteen': .', ' hundred, and .eight; , th'e-'iailway pfitheV ,' : company} together, with; , all;the , 'land.-;v i'.' and other prppotty.' described .'iri- :the; : .;.: schedule,'hereto, 'shall,'■ without,.',cojd.: 1 yeyance- or other:•'assn'raiice/'rjf^cdme '?,'■ : absolutely vested. iri:,Hia.ilajesty the- *' , Kihgi free (except..so far as -■' i-qxpi'e&fly provided in l this'" ; !ii)Jt)"iWqm'. K ;s ,:. any right,' title,. estate, .or/interest','",: -. ■ ve'sted.,ih'any' othor. 'person; , and" His ' • l Majesfy.'shall ,;thereupon; be' entitled'; ;■■ r..: to'the.possession of:tJie;-said"railway; ■-'; ': lahd;Vprid property;' ,! '■':''■'.','' ',."' ; ."' ; .'■; ■.'■'■'■" "No. doubt - the- Government- is now, in. strict law, entitled to rely on the statute, .'which\ vested the property in the-.Crown• i frM , -frqmjeneumb i raiices; i ;.it':seems' , to/usi, , ; therefore,- that you; havo. no legal - redress' . and that your 'best : course is.-,to [■ petition; Parliament with a view to having the 'mat-: tor put right. For that purpose,; it would, be.adyisable'if a' number ■of the owners, i: of .land in the satoe. situation'as 'yourself ■ fprmed.a: deputation 'to bring -the matter.;: Prime Minister' or the Minis-.:. ,ter for'-Eailways." .: ; : '■'/>:■■".' .;■:';..-.; ; ;-'-.,-' >■}:' ■•' V 'Mr. ;Field has given notice ,tb. ask 'the Minister for. Railways whether his;.atteii-. tion , has been:.called:to-the injustice and serious loss 'which : suffered by. a number, of,: settlers, : along therMana.watu;'line:of: railway.^by reason--of, .operation of.'Section• 2;' o- the-i.Wellingtc-n:-pand .'Alanawatu . .Railway" Purchase"' Act, :-i.' under which, all contracts and ments dealing .with .the. maintenance lof. fences Vand; other matters Entered into in: good; faith by settlers ' with -the. company • are wiped 'out.ofiesistence,,and , the set-, tiers are, left, without even '■■& remedy against;the Wellingtbn-Manawatu , Eail-; wav Company, by reason 'of the facttliat ■it is now defunct.Vand what'.steps, the; Government intend to take to restore tosettlers .their legal rights as existing prior to the passing of the- provision in ;tioh.'; ■ '• ■■.' ":'•' ''■■■'■::■!> ■.:.:.'■ ■ ■■ ■'■'..'■■..-'• ■• •.■' ■•