SUPREME COURT Farmer claims grazing firm owes him $7692

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33655, 3 October 1974, Page 18

SUPREME COURT Farmer claims grazing firm owes him $7692

The healing ol an action arising from a uispute over an agreement Between a lamer ana a neef glazing and proaueuon company in uie supreme couit yesterday Before ittr Justice lioper. Bopen scent caioou, a farmer, of tueihven, and Joyce Payne caroon, his wne. ciaim tna, a written agreement between them and me Uruzing ana Export meat Company, Ltd iGemcoi. is 'old because of uncertainty, anu seek a declaration that there is no enforceable agreement oetween them. The piainlifis also claim that they are owea S7bs2.uB by Gemco for the grazing of cattle on their farm.

Gemco denied that it is in breach, of the agreement, ana claims that because of advances made to the Caroons, they owe the company money. Messrs E. J. Somers, Q.C., and R. L. Kerr appear for the Caroons, and Mr L. M. O’Reilly for Gemco.

The hearing is expected to take several days. Mr Caroon said In evidence that until December 31. 1972, he was employed as a shore-based marine engineer at Norfolk, Virginia. U.S.A. During the last 10 years of his service he had a 90-acre farm and another unit of 12 acres on which he ran up to 52 head of Aberdeen Angus cattle. After his retirement in December, 1972, he looked over farms in Australia, and then came to Christchurch. A land agent took him to the Gemco offices at Christchurch Airport, where lie met a Mr Shelton who he understood, was In charge of the Methven area for the company. Mr Shelton found a farm for him at Methven. Mr Caroon said that he and his wife took possession of the 690-acre property on May !■>,

1973. He had sufficient money to stock the farm himself if he had wished to do so. When he took over tlie farm there were cattle on It belonging to a Mr Guthrey, who had turned them over to Gemco, which in turn had handed them to witness to care for. SubsequenUy, Gemco had put other cattle on the land, and there was a verbal agreement