CO129-266 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1895 [1-3] — Page 555

[4]

" right to refuse costs where the claim " is exorbitant;" on the 11th Jane

January 1895 they said we again repeat the warning

that in future in cases of exaggerated

claims we will not

of grant

corts even if we award more than "the Government offers; and on the 20th January 1895 "this subject

" of costs is getting

20

again

so serious, we will

"have to take it into consideration." Notwithstanding previous pronouncements

on this topic, the Board, after the arguments but imperfectly reported in the enclosed slip dated the 1st of Murch, 1895, showed that its previon w warningo were of the "Brutum fulmin

order, as it still awarded costs a gainst the Government,

Prior to the 30th December

1894, both sides were in the dark as to the basis on which the arbitrators. would proued in computing compen- sation, but on that date they laid

dor vis

down some

general

551

rules, viz:-

that

the pentals would be taken and that certain deductions to wit Crown Rent, insurance, taxes and cost of amuual

repairs would be made,

From that time, the offers

of the Government

culated on

at were usually cal. those lines; but it was noticable that occasionally instead of following the principles laid down

the Board inclined rather towards. a mode of compensation computert upon the value of the land and buildings, which was the mode a _ dopted by Mr. Cooper in the first few clainew heard by the arbitrators.

The Board held its first

6.

sithing on the 27th December 1894 and about the first half of the claims -heard before it were conducted by

myself.

The principles, so far as they

could be arrived at, on which the

awards