COMPENSATION CLAIM

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 112, 11 May 1917, Page 8

COMPENSATION CLAIM

WIDENING WILLIS-STREET

DUKE OF EDINBURGH CORNER.

A big claim for compensation, involving a total- sum of £11,740, made against the Wellington City Corporation and concerning the widening of Willisstreet, came before the Compensation Court to-day. The matter is a longstanding one, and has to do with the cutting off of 10 feet from the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel building, at the corner of Manners-street. The claimant is a company known as the Duke Buildings, Ltd. The Court was presided over by Mr. Justice Edwards, who had with him as assessors Messrs. C. B. Morison, K.C. (nominated by the Corporation), and A. S. Biss (nominated by the claimants). Mr. M. Myers, with him Mr. Watson, appeared for the claimants, and Mr. A. Gray, X.C, and the City Solicitor (Mr. O'Shea) for the Corporation. . . •

The claim under the first head was for one perch and forty-one hundredths of a perch of land taken and the building thereon, having regard to its value for use in conjunction with the hotel, the intrinsic value of such land being set down at £2530. The balance of £9210 was claimed under the head of severance and injurious affection. Injurious affection,, was ascertained in the following manner, —(a) Capitalised value of the income derived or derivable from 8 bedrooms on 2 flats; from collarette facing Manners-street, ,gnd of half the rental of the tobacconist's shop facing Willis-street; all of which Tooms, shops, and accommodation, and the income therefrom, would be lost by reason of the said land and the construction of the said work. The cost of reconstructing and altering the building was set down at £1500, of shifting and altering the bars £60, while £480 -was claimed for disturbance of business during process of reconstruction and alteration, if done after the expiry of the existing lease, such disturbance being estimated to continue for two months.

A large number of witnesses have been summoned to give evidence, including many expert land valuers, besides several experienced builders and contractors.

In his opening statement, Mr. Myers suggested that he would have little difficulty in convincing the Court of the justness of the claim. . Several independent valuers had gone into the question of the intrinsic value of the land, and they had all come to the conclusion that the land was. worth something hi the vicinity [of ■ £2500.' Counsel proceeded to enlarge upon the other matters in the statement of claim; and asserted that the loss of eight eingle bedrooms, or their equivalent, meant a loss of £6 per week. The letting value of the building would be reduced to that extent. A big piece would also be taken out of the corner, bar, and if it was desired to retain the present volume of business the shop now occiipied as a bottle-store would have to be converted into a bar, and the fruit shop, now bringing in a rental of £3 per week, converted into a bottle-store. . . .

The first witness called by Mr. Myers was Charles J. S. Harcourt, who asserted that the value of the land taken was £2556.

(Proceeding.)