Midland Railway Arbitration.

Opunake Times, Volume IV, Issue 157, 3 January 1896, Page 3

Midland Railway Arbitration.

(N.Z. Times.)

What has been proved during this remarkable trial is very easily summarised. Ist. The public policy has been continuous as to the raining reserves, and the administration of the land grants. 2nd. The allegation that the land grants were inadequate has been disproved by the proved fact that the Company made a profit of 40 per cent on the lands acquired by thorn. 3rd. The concession of the Abt system has been shown to have been in no way delayed, while the land grants on that particular section remained unaltered. 4th. The allegation as to delay in conceding the Brunner deviation, though practically withdrawn, has been proved unfounded. sth. The charge that the new taxation crippled the Company’s finance has been met by the fact that the Company itself objected to the old property tax as unfair; that it asked for an income tax instead, and got it; that the graduated land tax was never applied because the Company got rid of its land, according, to the spirit of its igieemeut, whenever it got it. Oth. T he grievances under clause 83 were proved not arguable, because the Company declined to use the power, as it was not to the interest of their finance. 7th. As to the question of timber, the Company permitted cutting, and collected royalties, and when the Government gave permits to cut, the royalties were kept in a suspense account. Bth. On the question of the mining reserves, the evidence in favor of the Government was overwhelming. The Atkinson Government was prepared to reserve 750,000 acres, and waited for farther reports, the present Government began with 250,000 acres on these reports, and did not get beyond 400,000 acres. Oth. The question of the land grants earned prior to the termination of the contract was fairly disposed of to the satisfaction of all parties. 10th. The final refusal of an extension of time was proved <o be justified by the inability of the Company to satisfy the Government of its power to complete the line 1 11th. The seizure of tire line, which was the subject of long and bitter denunciation, as an act of filibustering, brigandage, and highhanded tyranny, has been held to be justified by the unreasonable and inexcusable delay in the prosecution of the works. These were the points in dispute. They are all decided by the award in favor of the Government.