A BIG LAND DEAL.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13751, 17 June 1913, Page 3

A BIG LAND DEAL.

The following, which appeared in the Sydney "Sun" of the 6th inst., amplifies a statement that was cabled to the New Zealand papers last week: —"Mr. J. E. Davenport, of Governor's Bay, Lyttelton, who is recognised as the biggest blood stock importer, in New Zealand, is travelling with the All Black Rugby League team, and this morning he completed one of the greatest land deals which have been made in New South Wales for years. Through Messrs. Dalgety and Co., who acted for the vendors, he purchased 10,735 square miles of the Northern Territory, and paid £100,000 as a deposit. Mr. Davenport's dealings are so big in New Zealand that he has paid £11,000 in freight for stock importations, and it is mainly owing to him that cattle and sheep,, and even pheasants and fowls, are thriving as they are in tho Dominion. Ho journeyed across to New South Wales with the football team chiefly to make the purchaso, and at tho auction he staggered all bidders by his tremendous deals. Already 500,000 head' of cattle are being drafted to the north, 14,000 being horses. His next big undertaking will bo the purchase <©f 500 blood stock bulls. He is leaving for England shortly to make the deal, and to have them safely taken to his holding in tho north. This afternoon Mr. Davenport received an offer, and if. ho had -accepted it he would havo cleared £40,000 on his deal. He refused, to sell, however, and he intends to go right on with his enterprise." We ("Otago Daily Times") do not think Mr. Davenport's repiitation in New Zealand as an importer of blood stock, is quite what the "Sun." describes it as being.