THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS ACT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8106, 28 March 1906, Page 5

THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS ACT.

COMPENSATION CLAIMS,

REMARKS BY THE CHIEF

JUSTICE.

PALMERS lON N., March 27th. Iu the course of a written judgment in the compensation oase, of M. Symons against the Foxton Borough Council, the Chief Justice, said he thought it was to be regretted that the wording of the Municipal Corporation Act, of i 1876 and 1886, was altered. If the Legislature meant to give no compensation in all cases of street dosing, however ruinous that might have been to private owners, the Statute should have said so. If it did not mean to deprive owners, who were injured, of compensation, it was a pity that the express words of the 1276 and 1886 Acts weie altered, so that doubts could be raised as to what was meant. The Court could not be asked to assume that the Legislature meant to deprive persons of compensation, whose frontages and access to their properties bad been taken away. Further, if such were to be law he presumed the Magistrates would hesitate to give their oonsent to such schemes, and improvements in the arrangement of highways and boroughs would, in consequence, be much impeded.