Public surveys

(1) For the purposes of any public survey or in the performance of any of his functions, the Commissioner or any surveyor authorised by him may, with notice to the owner or possessor, enter upon any land with such assistants as may reasonably be required, and may affix or set up or place thereon or therein trigonometrical stations, monuments, survey beacons, marks or poles, and do all things necessary for such (2) Compensation shall be paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund to the owner of any crops or cultivated trees cut or damaged in the exercise of any of the powers conferred by subsection (1) of this section, and if any question shall arise as to the amount of compensation to be paid or the right of a claimant to recover compensation, such question shall, in default of agreement between the Commissioner and all persons concerned, be finally determined by a magistrate having jurisdiction in the district in which the damage occurred, on application made by the Commissioner, or any person authorised by him in that behalf, or by any person claiming to be entitled to compensation under this section: Provided that, except at the discretion of the Commissioner, no such application shall be granted if it is by a person claiming to be entitled to compensation and is made more than thirty days after the date on which the crops or trees in respect of which the claim is brought were cut or damaged.