CO129-223 - Governor Sir Bowen Acting Governor Marsh & Others - 1885 [11-12] — Page 385

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purchase upon some other assessment

whatever larger

of the valice and pay sum might be fixed thereby. I am of opriion that it could not...

I should point out that this question

touches a matter in which the interests

its action in

and the Was

of the Colonial Government Office may conflict. Whatever liabilities the Colonial Government incurs by

this matter at the request of the War Office will be in the first instance liabilities of that Government for which it should be careful not to assume responsibility without being

Covered

6

by the War Office. This is important because under the

ondecumstances litigation is almost

Certain

certain to take place, and the

construction of the resumption power

is a new matter

If therefore my opinion is communicated to the Military authorikis I would suggest that the Colonial Government should make it clear that

it assumes

that opinion

no

responsibility for

and that if the War Office desires it to proceed with the

the

resumption it must do so on its oron responsibility and upon Understanding that for whatever.

liabilities

may

be incurred thereby it must hold the bolonial Government}

harmless. The War Office would

doubt obtain independent legal

no

adirce