RESIDENT MAGISTRATES COURT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 160, 4 July 1873, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATES COURT.

. .-£ Before- L. c ßboad, Esq, „:B.M. S and T fT^.-BAa-::-A ' nicoat, and J. Shar.?, iEgqr's",; A ssb'ssbrs]' | „_TjHUBSpAX,.J.ULTjS. I .:' rWhite. v. Beui*n^V?*-W- c '^ay t Cqmpbns^won* < i 77. .'7-i.'.[ ,}Aj '"'AyCfJliis,.AV- 7/ ! .)JJAi ] ~ ? The appellant, William .White,, of §pribgo Grove, clai&bd* the %"um : Vf ■£32'/ J 103.,* the^ particulars jqf which are .given below-. i Mr Acton Adams appeared for the ap-., pellant, and Mr H, Adams fpr, fche defend-,, ant, Mr. Brunner, representing the Go--vernor of Ne'wl Zealand; JI | '•; The;[ respective -items -o:f -jMr Whitefs /. claim were as follows : — Value of 4 acres i and^4 , percliSs T vofi Isn'tf r '£akeb T by railway, ' at £25 per acre — £100.- Severance : (1). " Depreciation in value of. '-2 acres "ois^sduth . side of line at eastern angle, at £10 per r agre—**£2o. . - (2) Cost of makfng crossin g - over mill race, and damage thereby done "" to banks, Necessary to mak« the* above 2/ acres accessible, £5. _ (3). Depreciation •• invalbei of 1 acre '6b • nbriß-side^bf lifie ateastern angle, £10 Cost of crossing J : damage, as hef6rej; l £Bi lT (4)1 Headland] : 25 chains long, by \ chain deep, on both sides of line, rendered partially useless and extremely difficult to cultivate,- .e^yaal^ to \2,\ eqhare chainsj'at £10 "per acreT—£l2 lQs. ;(s). vDamageyh^ drainage pf :tf£oavation cut through land for line, affecting, f say 15 chains~by r 2^chaibs''deep on both" aid es, equal to 7^ acres, at £5 per acre-4-'£37 fOsi (6). Depreciation ib°varue" J of |l on. south, side of ,lin,ejat f w.estern .angle, 1 'half value, £12 10s. ' (7). Damage' "done ; to remainder aof ■• section I Hoy severance, , creating difficulty and expense in workinjg tbe same for agncuUuraTpurpbses whereby the Barae will be of lese^ value, £50. (8). Damage by cutting off, winter from/paddock on eastern side of land ,X whereby plai-atifi'jS cattle.will have to. be r driven qVjenthe line every day, £25. (9). Depreciation ih value "of fbur'acfes^ofUah'dAotii'distern sid«i of J me .rendered ..entirely, useless Jfbr^agricultural purposes, owing to to the embankment damming the wateron to;itJnJ;ime of ..floods. . half yalue,. -£50. _—. Total;, \\ £327105. '••■•■>■■'- V l "'^-- - JK ""- jThe amount offered by^Mt- Brunner wa;s £120 15s , ; ,being at. : the,jrate, of £30 ah acre for 4 acres and 4 perches. j The evidence given was as follows : — ! Williams. WhitevAAL am thtji oWner of a section 2,' South, through l which the rairway-pa'sses;'- XThere : are 50 acred. I have,;, received the |^pm, s Mr Brubner claiibing*tto ;take. • fd&r- v acres' foui* perches. The ; land is ,. .generally good agricultural land-. The land on the southern side of the section vis the moqt "!yalda>l;e.-t XTtfe'^land \i f\ <#.orth #25faji acre. s The land taken By the railway ip worth that np&tt. '.frbhi the severance. The dajnage.dpne.to t^e^two.acres on the south is by "severance, ana the land i;s , lessened! '-by-- half; i its V valiie7>i lit' tia Asift off and made a small piece by itself, and thb embankment wiljl back the river on to it. In consequence'bf thb railway I shall have to T make f 'a J ''Kndgiß : ' t 'wtiich'' : -wdu"id v ''cqßt £5. Thej'.f^re on side is worth nothing now except, for a/ hit of grass. It is cut. off % the' line/ and stands by itself. It is worth' --x^O at! acre andl!-* consider ijt depreciated one-half. For the headlands I claim, 40 chains long, being 20 .chains on each "side by aqdarter of a chain wide" 'on eaoh side.' You can only plough the

headland one way; that is tho injury. ||i estimate the $as*age :^bm po one-half of th|(v:fluß djj $be lajbsj| whifh was £20* per $0-$% Thl^is tij^uttiifj"! through the land, liut the claim fordamage by draining is for damage done by excavation on both sides of the line. The v-djtches thu^cut-drain the adjacent Jandy--rwrhich is hi^hest^gd -dryesj^pajs^_ It t _ will affect from six to eight acres, and depreciate it by £5 an acre afc least. The -■ remainder-- o^-t : h6-§^^ piece in*ihe south-west corner, 10 acres ; it-yB/d«ffisgiett by. one-half. The value is £25' an" acre. s I claim £50 for general APJuiX iPL t-3?.. land by severance, : causing greater expense in working* the ladd. I have put per acre, which .-..isj-if- anything-, too little.- -I- estim-^te the dßmafe&lby'fcu't'tlfig'.bff .-'£2s, as I. : shall have to employ labor to drive cattle ijiil walervfromGheTeasterh J^iiJe;"S.f , '3h6jlan'dvr The depreciatiou~of- fdur acres is^ "caused; 1 by tfie' '-'Wafers being- dammed up by, the V r ''iembatikment and injuring tins inland.' It "will scour ""out i~~ th q mill race might ! T 9a%agQ'^tfie;7AoWe^ dan^ges.,," r ' ;^7'.V""/".^ ! ,-v-/.7",,i „• ,'./* '" 3 'Crbstf-examrnM.i^The^ no sub-divisiQ|t> n^jE(Ge%sj F\i-ve or six years, ag.-p} c - 7 l7eo.uid'^ ; feayei'-spj4 c land in allot:ments'at £20 an acre. The land ''is' in-ereased-in value--trl- an acre by-the making •of fcbo r Tailway.r-^My-imj^ ''_'sj^U6px.-bßi}i^xi)pp ; 6«je :y?iIJ Vnot' ,inqrease : t^d-X .value.: 'a^y^ ii^r.tiiei; /{X-rX 7b^ye7other property about aisreflj" on which stands "a;;brew,ery; 'and my house. ' ) I'h'a , ve"stipplied'beier to Foxhill. r ' - .-; Thomas Brunner: I purchased land" T /p;Cv.t;be-Btatipn J"r.om-Newtb.^ Irgaye;*-;hinj ';, ! 'fbiMt/ being|boiit^^£ includes -talP (ftmage^. - rf - His house is squeezed into a corner, and the„ lnje^goes 'ffoW'ifa hou'seT"' I value White's ;land: &H mocer^han^New^'s^^T^^ is poor ; lan^. I li'ave bbuglit land from Hill. It is about the sana e $s~ Whim's. I gave £30„ anr, j,ci:e 7 *abo,u|.'-7 j-rijnteNewth^S house off • from his land altogether:.' I have offered Wbiber-ohout the) same "D offered Hill-r a few shillings more." Silcock's land is cufc„ up about theTs'Sme'arWhite's. Ao-J:iH~..&il(}Qch/i .1 .-live at;:Waimea, r and ri have known White^ 'se'etion for 25 years,., -I-should value-it at-£2O- an- acre — without^ seye.i;anc^sj It as rath;erftjru iplrJQr. sectionr" to most about ..ihere. The line runs, ..straight th^ouglf ; Hill's lan<|. 0 ;i r li;npw|-tbe~ ;,}1 a^nd fNo, l.r. jt is depreciated': by '/half- its XVSl'u'ei : 5 % Tfie facre^Nb. 3pii ■aT small; tri^infg.ula¥!;pi^ce,/and is, n6?u^;iprxa^rici*tture. .^lta^worth IB.ome.tb^ng-/ror-1 B.ome.tb^ng-/ror-- pasture.Vn->;lfc • is - : 1 reduced abouttpnerhaif.: :?Theidepreciationfor" headlands Xifc- w v hartf tp calculate! : T. *hink^£TOx ; :the ? Xlowesti ! s $ % ; 4'.;ia : a n --acuteiangle/a^ihe^S.vW... j^coToeii.- Itis quite .cm toff by -itself.' ;• It' is about an acre, andis depreciated^ about onerjialf. F1 The wheat was washed, off this lapd jßpm.e-jye.arP agOi.i-:. There . -is.* no outlet hltift. no.Whiniokae qPflood.'! It - ] would not J *be safcTto'^u't in?a ! W6p , 6f'r t 6oti,' < as it might Xbe^ps| r^txapy.tiaiP.X < The-,,liand- is depreciated 8Q; pier;, pent: Jn-.my opinion. The -•land a9Ja'-wholeMS: ideprecia'ted 'in value by<^ -'one>h4lf. i>n v r::,sho ! uld. : divide "a 50 acre X '/i^ij^n^l '?h it in one* v ; Impel*:,..; : ,H :Uii.')-..d\';*. vXA.ir.x'.'v-.. -i: - --s• j fR. 1 lillf. Smith 12 OC • kn o w -"- this --sect ion of \ : XWhi'tp ? s. ; :;• It" is; rather 'superior to the]; xll's^ojild n jtJ) t ink ,it. T ;is worth 7a^qut f £So,Jan : «»prje. ; ;:^lr have-been over it Tately;o nNo. Ir. is depreciated by' half. T 'khPWlhe pie 6e r (4) ! atiithe^S.W For JjEii fj^V"^ .-^ a^'9 u l^'^jay:' It,is/depreciate'd r ; % a.^half>if/'lt; l^o.uld:;be necesßary-to move cattle from thS eastern to^the western side ; 'Jto^fWa'ter "ever'yX day, 1 IF. |lie sition was^ Y^p^t\i^s l Opp '^e^re^iKe/frftUWy^t is not ••Wpj'til-.mp »r hi rr. James RdbeftsonY live k at 'Waimea , South. XJ'bd"*fiJhfcifiy e^ cre g^ about lb.. -chain&'-fi'dm White's ; land.'^ I gave £44; f an acreT"fof'it;?7Tßfe ! e7years ago I bought tfieTaWd; it is the corner, section. I value -WhiteVland atfrom£2o to^Srper-acre.^ I jDQn_sid er^tj^^^ater^.wilL- be ? . dammed, , up : 1 4nd^reTaibed j 6h^th4 ! land' btr^'he e&stern Bide.KOTo"''.l-XI?lW Afr.WZIWKIO. ! Melville Sellon-: I am a farmer aito. iWaimeafSotithv.r lknowiWhit'e's lahdi IfcriS''afgreat":dMlibetterl?thaii^^ v ihfe^"generality '^£;^e?lab^; 1 £;2C^^q^23 7an |acr t e"vir) Sec' tipnsJl)anid/37aTe'altop9t';u8eless for agriculture.: /The VdanVag^ don^ wjllf -bet 3Qsso4year' "per acre;: if l; would nofc^ give within £15-''a-year for the Section of what I* wViild; -before the railway. "■'• l Thja^closed l.thecase .for the appellant. : Mr Henry Adams, fop the?, defence, 1 called; witnesses, ,w,K.p t - gave, - eyidianqei as follows-r— y .y-'i.'A' ::\M\3 n'.-WT . A'\' y^hpmcis, a surveyor ...and land-agents — 1_ have appointed Iby 1 poy.s^paent , T jto ar-rapge with.p-jvners...' % have estimated the)i^™ag©bi!The7tai|wfty; takfisv-i^afireg 4 perches. I have calculated the value at-£3O per acre, to in-,; cl udegejr^ry thhip. J /pon§idjEs |h| section protected by the works. It cannot now. ,be washed^awav. -The land I first yalued at £15 an acre;^ I, consider £30 anxacre the full va'uf.-ja jfJojV 8 ?/;^^--!,^;; error in thp calculation of the area at 'first which hsis been correo|ed. „ I think; the .compensation is more' Yoi' prdpoj-fabn 'than Hill go|. XNewth's was a special claim; his house i 8. o cut. pff r from. -the land .altogether. I have 'agreed 'with Seventy people-, put of about a hundred and teh. I think the s - secttotf will*, be beiiefitejl by tiou pf the railway, ,y r , v- " r f | T. J. Thomson, surveyor and assesso^^, to the,-Wfimea?.\Bqa.d/ Board- s I have-, valued the whole of-the land in the Wa{- '• mea^ I T ibaye "valued White's^ land ati£o, but ii is -'to' "be ihcreased'td £I's an acre. The railway will damage ' the land' to some extent, independent o.f j. uthie quantity taken, in ttf| it's gojng with a curve. If adequate.^ communication- v isC-npV6vidl'd betwee)i the ,twp^ pfrtB r , jof v t^% ,£ecsiqn, an|d proper .arrangements are made*as to drain-' a^llitei'e' wbiilct tie very little daraagei "esi-n cept a? to the difficulty of ploughing, I

think £2^ T ap^acre would be sufiicieritXto l^for th^afrd taken if means of com-m-ijDicati#^f|| drainage were provided. Mout^l ara a land agent and secretary td- v t^BuildiDg: Society. I know White's aeotioßff consider it worth £20 au acre, the full value for agricultural land. makes nrore diffi? l d l? a^I Jt&l depreciation v^ould be about JEI per acre. But the facility of getting goods and stuff away will be equal

to the £1 depreciation. £20 an acre would then be a fair price to pay for the land taken. Water could easily be broiight down- in the mill lead. A. JD. Austin : I am a civil engineer. I produce a section of the railway. There is an opening of 39 feet at the mill lead and a 6-feet culvert in the swamp. The water in the swampy places attended to by the witnesses can be draiued off into the mill race. I value ihe land at £20 an acre. I think the sum offered, £120, quite sufficient. . Tbis concluded the evidence, and the assessors, after an adjournment of two hours gave the following award : — With regard to the question of damage by reason of the embankment damming bfcck the water upon the land in times of flood, we think there is not sufficientevidence to prove any such injury will certainly accrue. There is no necessity, therefore, for us to decide the legal question as to our competency to take such damages into consideration, as even, if we could do so, we should be compelled to find that there is not evidence td support the claim. We think the proper remedy would be by action on the case when the damage actually occurred, or by enforcing the provisions of the Railway Clauses Consolidated Act, 1845, which is incorporated with our Colonial Act except a'few clauses. As regards the claim of £5 for constructing a culvert, we think this .ought to be allowed; all the other itemß may be fairly considered under the general head of damage by severance. We allow. £80 as the value of four acres taken, £5 for the culvert, and £50 for general damage by severance, makiDg a total of £135. By the 34th T section of the Immigration and - Public Works Act Amendment Act; 1871, the appellant having recovered, or been awarded less by one-sixth of the amount claimed, is compelled to pay all the costs of this enquiry. The amount allowed the Crown for costs is £5 ss. professional fee, and there is a further sum of £6 6s witnesses' expenses to be paid by the appellant, as well as the costs of court • and assessors' fees. Judgment for £135, appellant to pay costs. ,