The fact of land having been reclaimed in some instances beyond the limits of the original lease, does not alter this opinion of mine. In some instances the reclaiming was a matter of necessity, from filling up of the water frontage by public drainage.
When land was reclaimed there was still a general understanding on the part of the holders of the Lots who were reclaiming it, that their Marine frontage and access to the sea were not in any way to be interfered with in consequence of such act. I was one of them. I have been here rather more than five years. I arrived in 1853.
I am not aware whether any land was reclaimed from the sea before my arrival. I can say decidedly that my firm and myself shared in the general understanding, and that, so far as they were concerned, it was understood that their Marine frontage and access to the sea were not to be interfered with.
I had conversations with Sir George Bonham and Mr. Cleverly, the Surveyor General, who told us that, if we chose to reclaim land, there was no objection to our doing so, and that no difficulty or inconvenience was likely to arise from it. They gave us assurances that our doing so would not interfere with our rights.
In my case the seafrontage had been completely destroyed by a large Government sewer under my property. It brought down an immense mass of earth from the ravines on the hill where Government House is built. I was therefore obliged of necessity to reclaim in front. Before reclaiming I consulted the Surveyor-General if Government...
Page 73 342 ...er produced conversations with Sir George Bonham and Mr Cleverly, the Surveyor General, who told us that, if we chose to reclaim land, there was no objection to our doing so, and that no difficulty or inconvenience was likely to arise from it. They gave us assurances that our doing so would not interfere with our rights....
Page 74 ... dove it far beyond that. AUD AV-8