Media Release – September 13, 2007

Government to pay a further $900,000 to Mt Oxford farmers in long-running land dispute

Long time Berryman supporters Mark and Karen Feary of Mt Oxford have received notification that they are going to receive a further payment from the Government of $900,000 based on an award released at 10am today.

The award by arbitrator Hugh Rennie QC was released to the Fearys’ lawyers, Buddle Findlay. The Fearys of north Canterbury are back in court against the Crown on September 25. They have put the Crown on notice that they are issuing proceedings against the Crown.

``This latest result is pretty much business as usual for us in this long running saga, Feary said today.

Earlier this year the Fearys said they would receive millions of dollars more in compensation for loss of land on their Mt Oxford station.

The whole of the 1780ha Mt Oxford land block which has been in their family for 70 years is apparently now under Department of Conservation (DoC) control.

``The state has so far paid Karen and I more than $1 million and are now staring down the barrel of millions more,’’ Mark Feary said.

``This is what the Crown gets for not honouring the pastoral lease contract in the first place.’’

The long and difficult journey for the Canterbury farming couple will be of significant interest to the public and especially to high country farmers.

The Fearys have always fully supported King Country couple Keith and Margaret Berryman for a dispute with the Government on their land.

The Berrymans were found partially blamed in a corner’s inquest for the death of beekeeper friend Kenneth Richards following a bridge collapse on March 22, 1994.

Mr Richards’ vehicle plunged to the Retaruke River bank near Taumarunui 13 years ago.

The Berrymans were charged by Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) but the charges were dismissed by Judge Abbott in the New Plymouth District Court.

ENDS

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