CUTTEN APPEAL CASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3332, 23 January 1918, Page 42

CUTTEN APPEAL CASE.

VALUATION REDUCED BY £5776. Mr J. R, Bartholomew, S.M., delivered judgment on ihe 17th instant in the appeal of Frances A. Cutten against the valuation of lands in Dunedln and North Otago, whioh was made for the purpose of assessing death duty in the estate of tho late Rebecca Cargill. At the hearing, which occupied seven days, Mr S. Solomon, K. 0., appeared for the appellant, and Mr W. C. MacGiegor for the Government Valuation Department. His Worship said that after careful consideration he would determine the valuation at £77,308—a reduction ol £5776 on the Government valuation of £83,114. His valuation was based on tho unimproved value oij tho land. On his Worship as-king whether counsel had anything to say on the question of costs, Mr Solomon, for the appellant, claimed that as the appeal had been successful his clients were entitled to costs/ After discussion, his Worship said that, as the reduction in value was a substantial one, tho appellant was entitled to costs, which he fixed as follows: —Fee to appellant's counsel, 60 guineas, with witnesses' expenses to be fixed by his Worship subsequently if the parties could not agree upon them.