Sir Patrick said the statement of claim in the first action alleged that the Ranelagh Club, Ltd, had a 99 years' lease of premises on which ihe club was situated, and that on May 10, 1935, the company purchased the freehold of the premises from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for £78,000.
Another paragraph alleged that in addition to that the company had obtained the special removal of restructive covenants on building, for which it had paid a further £10,000, That was important, because the essential point of the dispute was as to building.
Sir George Hastings claimed that he was entitled to the benefit of this purchase and the company claimed that the benefit was vested in itself. The defence of Sir George Hastings te the company's action was an allegation of fraud, and that the intention was to develop the grounds as a building estate.
So far from that being the case, declared Sir Patrick, it was never intended to be developed into a building estate. Sir George Hastings was clearly told that what was intended to be done was to develop the most outlying portion of the land in order to enable the club to be run successfully. Concluding his statement, Sir Patrick made an important reference io the future of the club. There are many people not connected with this litigation who are interested in the club and its future, he said. Th whole issue has been whether or no Mr. Behar always intended to destroy; the club and to develop it as a build ing estate. The rent is something over £2000 a year.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.