HUNTER ESTATE

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 June 1937, Page 5

HUNTER ESTATE

EXPERT CONCLUDES EVIDENCE , fl'EB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, June 22. ’ Having been three days in the witness box. Oscar Mon rad, a farming expert, concluded his evidence in the Supreme Court in lhe Hunter Estate case to-day. To Mr. Weston, he said, that he (Percy Hunter) was giving the use of some machine, in exchange for the estate’s woolshed. Witness could see no advantage to the estate in the use of the wool-shed by others, even if shearing were cheaper, by reason of a larger number of sheep put through Re-examined by Mr Willis, Monrad said that the good farming operations mentioned by him as having been done by defendants, were not difficult, and were customary activities of a station. In the circumstances, they were obvious tilings to do. Tile failure to introduce new blood into the flocks, had resulted in serious loss, through diminished returns. Answering his Honor, witness said

the fundamental charges were not doing scrub-cutting when a subsidy was available, neglecting to replace in 1932-33 with at least 2000 good ewes, neglecting to cull, and neglecting to sell cull lambs, especially this year, when the price had been exceptionally good. / Charles Raymond Edgecomb, a sheep farmer, of Hatuina, said he inspected the estate on March (1 and again on April 10. The property bore a generally neglected appearance. ■ The Court adjourned until to-morrow morning.