£15,000 FOR A SCHEME

Evening Star, Issue 17954, 27 April 1922, Page 9

£15,000 FOR A SCHEME

HARBOR BOARD APPEAL, [Peb United Phess Association.] WELLINGTON, April 27. The Appeal Court is hearing argument in tho oa&o of the Gisborne Harbor Board v. George Henry Lysnar concerning tho validity and the interpretation of a document executed by tho parties in 1617 wheroundor Lysnar agreed to disclose to tho board a certain novel idea for tho construction of a harbor at Gisborne, in considered tion of his receiving not less than 1 per cent, of the cost of carrying out the works, The board applied to tho Supremo Court to determine whether tho document constituted a contract binding on tho board for all time and whether the board could pay to Lysnar any sum greater than the 1 por cent, mentioned. Mr Justice Reed decided that the document was a contract, but not binding for all time, and that tho board could not pay more than tho percentage referred to. From this judgment the board appealed, and also brought action against Lysnar for tho purpose of getting a comprehensive decision, claiming that his scheme was not novel, and that tho board had not adopted any scheme or idea of his. This action was removed to the Appeal Court for hearing with the appeal. Mr Myers, for the Harbor Board, said that if Lysnar’s claim was uphold he would bo entitled to payment from the board of the sum of £15,000, and tho board bad no power to spend money for a mere scheme or idea. Tho case is proceeding.