HUNTER ESTATE CASE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 151, 14 July 1937, Page 5

HUNTER ESTATE CASE

-Breaa Aasociation.)

Evidence for Defendants

(By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, This Day. The Porangahau sheep station of the late Sir George Hunter was the. subject of further evidence in the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday in the case in which Lady Hunter seeks the removal of Cyril Paul Hunter, Akitio, and Thomas Percy Hunter, Porangahau, from the trusteeship or Sir George 's estate. When the court adjourned last evening the twenty-first witness was in the box. Mr Justice Smith is presiding. Mr J. D. Willis and Mr R. R. Scott are appearing for plaintiff, and Mr C. H. Weston, K.C., and Mr J. H. Dunn for defendants. The evidence of Thomas Percy Hunter, begun the previous day, was interrupted as a matter of convenience. Martin Greenwood, sheep-farmer, Hastings, described the condition of the Porangahau station both before and after the trustees took over. The property, he said, had shown an improvement. His Honour: The other side say that if bolder steps had been taken in 193132 this station could have been a much bigger revenue-producing property at a much earlier date? Witness: In 1931-32 there was not a bold sheep-farmer on the East Coast. At the time we were suffering from the worst depession we had ever known. If we had a credit balance it was iust a question how long it would last. The best result I got on a property I had was 2.4 per ceut. During those years our instluctions from the Relief Court were to maintain assets but not to launch into improvements. Most of the stock firms werq dependent upon the banks, and the banks took a very giooiu.y view of the situation. Would you be disposed to say that more could have been done but the state of the finances did not permit more to be done? — "That would put the position very clearly. John Barker, farmer, Hastings, said there had been an enormous improvement in the sheep on Porangahau since 1930 — possibly a greater improvement than he had even seen in any floek in the same spaee of time, He thought there had been no increase in the scrub on the station. Continuing his evidence, Thomas Percy Hunter said that if he had inherited the Porangahau sheep station he would not have acted diflr'erently. He eonsidered he had done everything possible in the circumstances. The hearing- will be continued this morning.