FARMS AND "MELONS."

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 173, 24 July 1928, Page 8

FARMS AND "MELONS."

CLAIM FOR DAMAGES. SAXX OF NGATZA PROPERTY. EVIDENCE FOR THE BUYER. 'By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON", this day. Tne hearing of the case in which Xic.nlas Olack, farmer, Ngatea, ia suing • fame-; Cochrane Cieland. farmer.. Xcratea, fir £10w damages tor alieged fraudulent in.-repre«en'.at;on over an exchange of defendant - pi •.•s-erty at Ngatea for a furm belonging to plaintiff at Pio Pio, v. <it continue': a", the Mipreme Court tu■lay. betore hn Honor Mr. Justice iilair and a jury of 12. Mr. J. F. ."Strang repre-ents plaintiff and Mr. K. M. Mat-kersey defendant. (-iement Hartley, manager of the Auckland savings Bank, said the Ngatea larm had had bad managers in the past. The bank was sticking to the prudent owner because they regarded him as a "trier. Olack had done a great deal of good work on the farm. His Honor: There must have been a 1 slump in land in this particular district.' Witness: A great -lump. We have' had to dispose of land valued at xi f j~>! an acre for £20. This particular pro- ; perty had come down by about half its price. W'itne-s considered that the pre- ' sent value of the property was about I £20 an acre. * ; Amos Albert Fisier. farmer, of X crate a. 1 said Cieland introduced him to Olack and his brother. The defendant later told witness he would be a fool if he did too much work on his propertv and that he (Cieland) had got hold of "two of the biggest melons he had ever had in his life."

Edward Barriball, of Ngatea, said Cleland told him he had "got a bird," and he was glad to see the last of the place.

The witness said he sold his Ngatoa farm in 1910 for iloo an acre.

Counsel: I think you must have "ot a "melon'' also. (Laughter). Witness: I thought so, but the farm came back. (Laughter;.