SICK CATTLE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19719, 9 December 1926, Page 7

SICK CATTLE

RESULT OF LAND PURCHASE CLAIM FOB DAMAGES (Per Press Association). HAMILTON, Dec. 8. In la civil action at the Supreme Court, in which Frederick Freeman Rogers, farmer, Te Awamutu, is suing the Matarawa Land Company for £lOOO damages for alleged misrepresentation of the sale of la farm at Tokoroa, counsel for the defence gave a lengthy outline of the history of the country. He asked the jury if they considered it feasible that a company would spend £70,000 on this country if they had the knowledge that the land was unfit for dairying. Was it likely the company would induce farmers to take land there, advancing money and cattle if the defendants knew the cattle would soon die of bush sickness?

Evidence was brought to show that plaintiff and other settlers in Taranaki were informed of cattle sickness in the Matarawa. witness said his conscience was quite clear that he told the settlers the whole truth about the place they bought. His experience was that when cattle go sick, it was\ only necessary to remove them to another paddock to get well. The sickness was not as bad as made out. Rogers and quite a number of Tartanaki farmers neglected to carry out his instructions. The cause of sickness amongst plaintiff’s cattle was that they kept them on one class of feed only. The present settlers were well satisfied.