CO129-266 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1895 [1-3] — Page 556

beev

awards were to be based having then settled, on the 21th January 1895 I handed over the conduct of the cars

the

Government to Mr. J. Sercombe

for

T

with who had been seconded to ascist me in this matter which

formed a serious addition to my usual work; and I desire to

record

my appreciation of his valuable assistance through the sithings of the Board.

all

7

As I understand that Mr.

Cooper how already reported upon the proceedings before the arbitrators looked at from his standpoint and has fur- nished the Government with statisti= cal details, I need not enter into any figures here. I must however lay

chess on

the

very

noticable arcusw-

taves that the total amount awarded

by the Board has approsinated closely

-aggregate of offers based on

to the

Mr Coopers calculations. This demons-

a doubt that the Director

trokes beyond

of

of Public Works had

552

formed

a

more accurate estimate of the value of both land and howwer than that formed by local experts of longer residence and local experience.

The Government and the for- indebted to Mr. Cooper

blie ard

largely

for his firmness, good fidqurent and estra labours before and during the

arra

progress of the arbitration, and I wish to testify my

appreciation of the manner in which that officer supplied the information upon which tholjo -

vernment cases were based.

On the whole it appears to me that the amount of the reductions obtained by Government upon the original claims sent inn - deemed quite satisfactory. It must

be bome si

may

be

mind that the clacinants

usually called in support of their claims surveyor well known in the Colony and possessed of experience and local

influence