1885.] LEGAL. 335 



Grange, Alresford, For the plaintiffs it was contended that Captain 

 Hewson's ancestors derived their title to the land through an award 

 made under a special Act on September 18, 1813. From that time 

 up to the month of June or July 1879, acts of ownership were 

 exercised by the plaintiff's predecessors in title and by Captain 

 Hewson, both upon the water and the land — by shooting, fishing, 

 turning out cattle, etc. — which is an island situated in the centre 

 of the river Itchen. In 1875 alone Lord Ashburton employed men 

 to take gravel out of the river at the point in dispute, which, on 

 remonstrance, was restored. In June 1879, men employed by Lord 

 Ashburton cut sedge on the island. Captain Hewspn again called 

 the attention of Lord Ashburton's agent to this interference with his 

 rights, and the result of a perambulation of the property was that 

 they agreed the island belonged to Lord Ashburton. Some five 

 days afterwards, however, the agent (defendant) sent Captain 

 Hewson word that he had made a mistake in the perambulations — 

 that Lord Ashburton's boundary included tlie whole of the land in 

 dispute. Subsequently, Lord Ashburton caused stakes and piles to 

 be i3ut in the river, and in irregular positions, all over the water he 

 claimed. For the defence it was pleaded that Lord Ashburton had 

 held undisturbed possession for over twenty years. Neither the 

 plaintiffs nor defendant were rated for the land. In the summing 

 up, his Lordship said the land seemed only useful for sport. The 

 weeds on it had been cut by the plaintiffs, and by them only; and if 

 this was done to secure a right of ownership, then it took in the 

 whole of the land in dispute, for the defendant had never exercised 

 the right of weed-cutting. His Lordship's summing up lasted two 

 hours, and at the conclusion the jury at once returned a verdict for 

 the plaintiffs. 



Land Apj^itration in Yorkshire. — Mr. J. "W. Pickering, of Leeds 

 and Ilkley, claimed from the Midland Eailway Company the sum of 

 £4837 for land situated in Ilkley and adjoining the Addingham 

 Eoad, required by the Company for the Skipton and Ilkley Eailway. 

 The case came to arbitration proceedings, which lasted two days. 

 The claim for the land was £1464, that being the result of a calcu- 

 lation at a price of 10s. per yard, with 10 per cent, for compulsory 

 sale, and £3373 was claimed on account of severance injury to the 

 other land and to the building now known as St. Margaret's Parish 

 Eoom. Mr. T. Fen wick, of Leeds, gave a valuation on behalf of the 

 Company, resulting in a total of £2197, 10s. The umpire. Sir 

 Henry Hunt, C.B., has awarded the claimants £2947. The Com- 

 pany will pay all taxed costs of the proceedings. 



