Untitled

Dunstan Times, Issue 648, 18 September 1874, Page 2

The Wai Keri Keri water supply is to the Dunstan people on interminable source of litigation, and may almost be likened to Dickens’s celebiated Chancery suit of Jarnclyce v Jarndyce. The troubled spirit of this little mountain stream promises never to be allayed—it nosooner finds a quietus under one head, than it rears up another, and the precincts of the District;, Warden’s, and the Resident Magistrate’s Courts it positively declines to leave, and in spite of the most elaborate judgments, and learned

legal arguments, it persistently claims compensation, damages, or forfeiture for some supposed breach of privilege or another. For the last ten years the Wai Keri Keri water supply has scarcely ever been, out of Court, and to District Court Judges, Wardens, Resident Magistrates and the lawyers it has become an established stock piece, and we are almost inclined to believe that provided everybody in and about Clyde had become tired of law, had resolved upon settling their differences themselves, and living amicably and lovingly together, and the services ot members of the legal profession no longer being required, they liad quitted (he district, anyone desirous of starting again might easily do so by the mere assistance of the Wai Keri Keri difficulty alone. The money that must have been expended over this subject in legal expenses must amount to something ve-y considerable, and yet it stands exacely where it was when the first suit was instituted, while portcntious declarations of damages tor wrongs committed, and applications for forfeiture have always been commuted by a farthing or a shilling in the one instance, and non-forfeiture in the other; surely, this case is now so thoroughly well understood in all its points and bearings that its set*lenient should not prove an insurmount able obstacle to the parties concerned themselves. His Honor Judge Grey in the last sitting of the District Court holds out some hopes of this, when he states that before leaving Clyde for Queensown both (Mr Holt and Mr Feraud) had called upon him together, and informed him that they had come to an agreement as to the matter in dispute, and that it would not be necessary for him (Judge Grey) to give any judgment in the case. As however, owing to some misunderstanding respecting the time of His Honor’s return from Queenstown, Mr Feraud was absent, and only Mr Holt present, His Honor allowed matters to remain in statu, guo until his next Circuit. We feel assured that His Honor Judge Grey rules with us on this point that, before ho'retires from the judicial Bench he may be permitted for once and for ever to settle the Wai Keri Keri water supply question Mr Wilson Grey will ever remain a green spot in the memories of all that have come in contact with him, and let us hope that this ceaseless and almost meaningless dispute will, after he is seen no more amongst us, n ever crop up again.