France v Hight - [1987] 2 NZLR 38

Contract — Options — Agreement to lease farm land contained option to purchase — Formal lease was never executed and consent of the Land Valuation Tribunal although required was not sought — Nevertheless the lessees entered into possession and for some years paid rent — Lessees purported to exercise option to purchase but lessors pleaded illegality of contract — Whether agreement to lease constituted a binding contract — Whether contract should be validated and specific performance ordered — Illegal Contracts Act 1970, s 7.