January–June 1936

May 5th 1936The Director of Antiquities, Nicosia, Cyprus.

Dear Sir,

April 29th relative to the proposed expropriation of land on the site of Curium have, I think, been pretty much covered in my letters to you of April 20th and 24th.

My estimate (of about £180) of the probable cost of the part of the site shown in the plan submitted with the letter of April 20th was based on the report made to the Commissioner of Limassol, according to which a fair price for the whole site would be about £250. The report divided the land on the hill into three categories, valued at 4s, 2s6, and 2s, respectively. It being obvious even to a non-expert familiar with the site which areas are best, which second best, and which suitable only for pasturage, I believe that my estimate classifies the land recommended for expropriation with reasonable fairness. The experts will, I presume, pay the site a second brief visit and appraise the limited area marked for acquisition.

I expect, of course, that the Government's offer to the owners and its claim before the Court will be based on the official estimate of the present full value so far as concerns lots No.4 and No.46, which have been in the possession of the present owners or their families for very many years. But in the case of lot No.45 I should think that the actual purchase price would be taken into consideration since the land was bought only some months ago.

The mortgage on plot No.4, to which you refer, should cause no serious difficulty. It surely cannot be that the Crown's right of eminent domain is limited or may be nullified by peculiarities in private titles? In this case the mortgagee as well as the mortgagor is, naturally, a party in interest and entitled to be represented in the proceedings. But that should be perfectly simple. In any event it of course makes no difference to the Government whether the price awarded for the land is payable to the nominal owner or to the mortgagee or in part to each.

In order that we may not be confronted with further claims for rental and damages it is desirable that the expropriation proceed as rapidly as may be. Any urgent questions affecting us in the matter may be referred to Mr.P.Cacoyannis, to whom I am sending a copy of your letter and this reply. He already has copies of my letters to you of April 20th, April 24th and April 24th.

Faithfully yours,

Handwritten: signature

Dir.U. of P.Arch.Exp.