CUTTING OFF CORNERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 44, 20 August 1908, Page 8

CUTTING OFF CORNERS.

A CLAIM FOR COMPENSATION. ■ Compensation in the sum of £1500 was the amount of a claim, in regard to certain land taken by the Government at Kaiwarra fpr the railway wideningand straightening, heard to-day before Mr. Justice Chapman, with Messrs. T. Kennedy Macdonald and A. H. Miles as assessors. Mr. T. London was foreman, of the jury. Mr. Morison ■ appeared for the claim-s ants, Messrs. T. Bowden and , R. Hall, Mr. Myers for the Crown. Mr. Morison submitted for the claimants that since the Government had taken the frontage area it would be impossible for the owners to sell tho back portion of the property to any one, except adjoining property -owners. Evidence as to the value of the- land taken was given by Mr. John Thompson, resident of Kaiwarra, and formerly owner of the property. An area of five acres at Kaiwarra, purchased ten years ago for £250, had been sold recently for £1250. Improvements to the value of ; about £750 had been made on the property in the meantime. The action of the Government in cutting off part of the frontage had practically ruined the property. The land had a very fine frontage, a, terrace with a lovely panorama of the -harbour and hills, well sheltered, sunny, and suitable for residential sites. The value of the block before it was touched by the Government was '.about £1500. Now there was not the same market for the property, as there was no house site with a good view. There was a public road from Khandallah, giving access to the block, but the road had not been taken over by ■ the Borough Council. Property near Kaiwarra had been sold at the rate of £2 or £3 a foot for frontage sections.\ To Mr. Myers : The land was now worth about £30 an acre. He would not like to pay £1750 for-the property. John M'Kerrow, land agent, said he had sold the frontage of the block on the Hntt side- of the present property for £160 an^cre a year ago. Further evidence as to the value of the land was given by Robert John Thompson, land agent; Edward Pierce, and Harold Smith, surveyor, who said .that a road was impracticable to the .front portion of - the block in its present state. Mr. Myers contended that no man., in his sober senses would build a house on a landslip. The frontage was unsuitable as a site for a residence ; in fact, it was absolutely impossible. The claimants had been offered '£340 al,ready in compensation. In the present value of lands and property the claim Jwas excessive. Everard Seaton, surveyor, stated it 'would be too expensive to subdivide the property. A 12ft road would mean -.a batter of § in 1, which even then was too steep, and a removal of 14,000 cubic yards. There would be no place to put the spoil. It would cost half-a--crown a yard to cart the spoil into Kaiwarra. It was a very old slip, shaving been commenced probably by rthe sea cutting into the land, before \ the road was made. A house might be built on the back portion of the land> The road would be cheaper to make now than before the railway works had -made a new batter on the face of the hillside. Joseph Godfrey Holdsworth, land valuer, L. H. B. Wilson, Chas. Win. Caverhill, Berger Lynneberg, G. T. Lmdon, George Clapcot, engineer to. the'Onslow Borough Council, gave cvi, tdence as to 'value. The general estimates of the value of land .taken varied between £300 aand £350. The court decided to visit the site on Saturda^mornisn.. * , - - "~