NEWSPAPER DEAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 December 1929, Page 5

NEWSPAPER DEAL

PARTNER OPPOSES SALE. (Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, December 5. After a hearing which has lasted for three days, a conclusion was reached in the Supreme Court before Mr. Justice Kennedy to-day in a case in which William Twaddle, as representative of a syndicate, proceeded against Albeit Eden Russell, Robert James Millis, and James Radcliffe McNaughton, the proprietors of the “Clutha Leader” newspaper, Balclutha, for the specific P e *' formance of an alleged contract to sell the newspaper.

Before the business was sold by auction, the conditions of sale were drawn up, one clause providing that the partners should sign a deed of covenant that they would not compete within a radius of 25 miles for 10 years. Prior to the auction, McNaughton declined to sign the deed, and the auctioneer made this known at the sale. There was a belief at the time of sale that McNaughton could be compelled to sign, but this later proved to be ungrounded.

The plaintiff’s principal claim was that the business was sold minus McNaughton’s signature to the deed, but the defendants claimed that, as McNaughton had refused to sign, there had never been a completed contract. Judgment was reserved. ■ 1 ' \