BUYING A FARM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16782, 11 July 1922, Page 8

BUYING A FARM.

THE CARRYING CAPACITY. CLAIM IN SUPREME COURT. The hearing of a claim for £SOOO on account ol’ alleged fraudulent representation. arising out of the sale of the TYaipapa sheep farm, Clarence Bridge, near Ivnikoura, was continued in the Supreme Court to-day before his Honor Mr Justice Adams and a special jury ot twelve. Stanley Brynan Pa.il and Ernest Edward Jolly, sheepfarmers, were plaintiffs. and John Elder, Christchurch, was defendant. Plaintiff- bought the farm in 1920 for the sum of £1 < .000. The price covered the live stock, including 3000 wet ewes. Plaintiffs stated ‘that later they discovered that the farm could carry only I*soo wet owes and 1000 dry sheep. They alleged that defendant. in leading them to believe that be had bad 3000 wet ewes on the farm, made the representation fraudulently. or recklessly, not caring whether it was true or •They valued the farm at £12,000 and claimed the difference between that sum and the sum they had paid. I>efeudant admitted that the representation was made, but claimed that it was not- fraudulent, as the farm actually had carried .3000 wet ewe-. Mr O. T. •L Alpers. with him Mr AY. F. Tracey, apjieared for plaintiffs and Mr AT. J. Gresson. with him Mr J>. S. Murchison, for defendant. Robert Latter, farmer. Rotherham, said that he had owned AVaipapa and the adjoining farm. Aliddlehill* Tn 1905. about *SOOO mixed sheep were wintered there, and more in the following year. There were then forty acres of swede turnips under cultivation. There were about 2100 to 2300 ewes on the two places then, and they were being worked to their full capacity. Between 450 and 500 would he carried on Aliddlehill now. To Mr Gresson : It largely was a matter of opinion whether the country was good ewe country nr nor. Arnold Van Asch. Burnside. Dunedin. who had owned AVaipapa and Aliddlehill, said that be took over 6300 sheep, including 2000 lambs, hutwas not able to carry them through the following winter. The place had gone hack since 1908. He estimated that AA’aipapa now would carrv 1-500 to 16G0 ewes and about 110 dry’ sheep. Kenneth S. Mowatt, sheepfarmer, Blenheim, said that about 1700 or 1800 acres on AVaipapa ewe country. Ilie carrying capacity was from 1400 to 1000 ewes and 100 to 1100 dry sheep. Tt was not possible to carry 3000 ewes on AA’aipapa through the vear profitable. Walter Gill, shepherd, who worked on AVaipapa. -aid that Afr Elder, during seven rears’ occupation, did not improve the place to the extent of one sheep.