THE HUNTER ESTATE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 135, 24 June 1937, Page 9

THE HUNTER ESTATE

-Tress Aaaociation.)

Experts' Evidence on Farming Practice NEGLECT ALLEGED

(B7 Telesrabh-

WELLINGTON, This Day. Further details of farming operations on the. late Sir George Hunter' s sheepstation at Porangahau were given in the Supreme Court, at Wellington, yesterday, on behalf of Lady Hunter, who is seeking the removal bf Cyril Paul Hunter, of Akitio, and Thomag Percy Hunter, of Porangahau,' from the triisteeship • of her late- . husband's estate. , Mr. Justice Smith is hearing the case, Mr. J. D. Willis, with him Mr. li. It. Scott, is appearing for plaintiff, and Mr. .0. H. Weston, K.C., with him Mr. J. H. Dunn, for defendants. Continuing under Mr. Weston' s cross-examination, Charles Bayinond Edgecombe, sheep-farmer, Hatuma, said that there had been little or no attempt at pasture management on Porangahau. He saw sheep on the farm suifering- from insufficient feed of the right kind. His Honour: Supposing you were the trustee of the property and you had carried ]on since 1930 until the present time and then some experts canie along and criticised what you had done. Now, in order that there should be a fair criticism of what you had done, what 'information do you say these experts should' have had? Witness : An expert knowledge of farming and of local conditions. What other information? The state of the liocks when you started out? — "Yes*, undoubtedly." Their numbers ? — ' ' Yes . " Finanice? — '"Finanoe available^ and

the possibilities of finance." ' Anything else in order to make the criticism fair? — "It is a big question to decide at the moment." How about ability to throw yourself baek to decide what should have been done, not now, but at the time? — "I don't think that would enter into it if' the trustee were an expert." And how much of that have you had? How many of these qualifications have you had to make this criticism of these defendants? — "Well, there is only my word and my position.;' I take it you are an expert sheepfarmer and you know the district. ,l)o you know the condition of the flocks, the number of cattle and so on? — "Only through what has bfeen submitted during the course of this action." You have already told me you would expect your critics to know your difficulty. Do you know what the difficulties of the trustees were? — "I can only surmise. I don't know." What have you had to go on in saying that the trustees should have done this or that, apart from looking back now and saying what should have been done? — "Farming methods have advanced, and unfortunately the trustees apparently have not advanced with the times." That is to say, they didn't do in 1930 what other sheepfarmers wer'e 1 doing? — "That is my coutention." In saying that have you in mmd their means of finance? — "I say that with an idea of the necessary finance available under ordinary mercantile trading" Putting yourself in the position of the trustees do you think your criticism is a fair one? — "Absolutely fair and strictly unbiassed." You .would be prepared to accept it | on yourself? — "I would." Peter Gerard Cope, manager of the Wellington Farmers' UniOn Mutual Life Insurance Association, with headquarters at Palmerston North, said he recently inspected the buildings of the Sir George Hunter estate at Porangahau. He formed the conclusion that £7,045 would be the total amount of insurance he would aTlow, including £320 for the churchi. He valued the woolshed for insurance purposes at £1,000. Gratings in the woolshed badly needed repairing and cleaning and borer was evident in parts of the shed. If told that the insurance last year was reduced to something over £14,000, he -would consider that a ridiculous amount for existing insurance. Gerald Ernest Wilson, sheep-farmer, Unga Onga, in the Waipawa district, said he inspected the Hunter estate on Marchi 6 and April 16. Jt was perfectly obvious that the faim was not being managed to advantage. There were signs of extreme waste and had management in every shape and fcrm. The pastures were not being grazed properly. Cattle were running all over the property, and the fences were in a poor state. The couit adjourned until 10.30 this morning.