THE COMPULSORY TAKING OF ESTATES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11253, 25 October 1898, Page 3

THE COMPULSORY TAKING OF ESTATES.

NAPIER, September 2B: "■ The hearing of the case Bussell v. Minister.; for Lands in- connection with tho compulsory taking of the Hatuma station underthe Land for Settlements Act closed to-day, ■ after occupying the court for nine days. The case was peculiar, as the parties contended... for a wholly different basis of assessing the; value. Counsel for. Government contended" that the value to be. fixed was the^ selling - value as a sheep station. Plaintiff con--, tended that as the land was being compulsorily taken lie was entitW to such sum of; - money a,s, invested in other first-class;securi-..;-. ties, would bring him in the same net in--.' crime. Tho difference involved is. about ■ £100,000. It was agreed to* argue this :_ point before the Court of Appeal before the;, Compensation Court made its award.- "In1 t the course of cross-examination Mr James r M'Kerrow. chairman of the Land, Purchase1, Board, said the. Land for Settlements Act had made it difficult to sell large properties i owing to the.uncertainty of tenure. The land tax with a remote contingency of an. increase depressed values.. . .- ";