THE ARAI ESTATE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 29, 29 October 1907, Page 7

THE ARAI ESTATE.

COMPULSORY ACQUISITION. Cisborne, October 23. A sitting of tho Compensation Court, under the Presidency of the Chief Justice, commonced this morning to investigate claims respecting the compulsory acquisition of tho Arai Estate, of 10,691 acres, under tho Lands lor Settlement Act. Tho claim.! of tho Hon. Kandall Johnson, owner of the property, ia now being heard before Sir Robert Stout, with Messrs. G. Matthewson (assessor for the. ,Crovni), 'and Biitesoii- (Wellington), for tho owiier. ...Claimant .is represented by Mr. Martin Chapman,- K.C., . with : ,Mr.;.Sainsbu'ry, whilst Mr. David Findlay and" Mr 1 J. W. Nolan are appearing on behalf of the Crown. Claimant objects to the, classification,- and claims £24 lls. 7d. per acre for 2U2S acres, and £6 10s. per acre.fpr 4674) acres of second class land. The Minister's j classification is 2488 acres of first olass and; 8203 second ;class. Mr. Findlay intimated 'tli.it''lie would accept the owner's classification. - ■■■ •■'■ •" ". '."• •■ ' -\: I In the. course of preliminary discussion, Mr. Chapman- asked for an amendment of the claim, which had been mafic ■from a:wrong' date, increasing the claim' to £18,CjbOV; I Mr. Kndlay submitted, ,t!iat .the claimant had-had four; months to..consider thai-claiin, arid that an amendment- could not'now be allowed. ..'■■'■■ '■. Mr.. Skerret't.'(for the lessee, Mr. .Clark)' argued that unless tho requisition was'.amen--ded, the Court had no"'jurisdiction. ■■>•:," : His Honour reserved the right to amend--alter the evidence'had'been heard.'.... : Evidence 'in support of tho owner's; claim was then called; / ;-.-;.;: I I A claim is also made by Mr. John-Clark \J losses of tlio property, for'.'whom" Messrs*! Skcrrett and Stock appear. , . Tho claim" states; that, the lessee holds under a •■ten)- years') loa'so,' from August, 1900, .at a'-;'rental o? £3750 per annum. The' claimant , values big interest in tho lease, including tho goodwill, at £10,000, and also claims-£22)000-com-pensation for disturbance-of business.