MOKAU COAL PROPERTY DISPUTE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXIII, Issue 80, 25 April 1901, Page 2

MOKAU COAL PROPERTY DISPUTE.

AWARD OF ARBITRATORS, An arbitration in respect of a l : censo granted three years ago by Mr 11. Irvine to Messrs Bayly, Oglo and o\, of Waitata, by which the litter wa authoris*d to mine fir and remove coil on and from part of the Mangapapa Block, s'tuated on the Mokau river, aod adjoining the property <w ed b\ the Tarjnaki Collieries Company, The period of the license was five years, and it was provided that should Mr Irvine cell thq propspty soo»qp bp sbeujd p»y to Messrs Bayjy, Oglp and Co, tb<value of all substantial improvements tWeon at the time of saleand that the license shou'd be thou determined. The value was to be fixed by two arbitrators and their umpire, if ene should be required. Ths liceDse was dejiefqained after i|s bad only rsisted for about 3£ years, apt} tbg property was sold to the Taranaki Co'li- ries Company by Mr. Irvine, To cot>. ply with the Agreement Messrs. P. p. Gorki 11 (New Plymouth) and D. Peat (Wangmui) were appointed arbitrators and sat and took evidence at New Plymouth on April lOtb ; and then adjourned to Mokau where they inspected the improvements. On thtjir rutui-R on Saturday, April 20tb, they

made an av.fi rd by which they fixed the value of the improvements made by Bayly, Og'o, and Co., at. £4OO, and decided that the costs should be borne equally. Mr. Soy acted for Messrs Bayly, Ogle, and 0 0., and Mr. Ssmuel for Mr. i H. Irvine.

After the evidence had been taken, Messrs. Bayly, Ogle, and Co. were indirectly ofl'ered the Bum of .£350 in satisfaction of their claim, and this was later increased tra £4OO, but as he arbitration had proceeded bo far the claimants declined to accept. No previous offer had beea made.