Cross, Re W.E. Karreman, Ex Parte M. & D.

Case [1988] FCA 591


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WDGMENT No. S?..! .... P ...." & F . .
IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA 1
DIVISION GENERAL 1 QLD P1035 Of 1988
BANKRUPTCY DISTRICT OF THE SOUTHERN )
DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF QUEENSLAND )
RE:  WAYNE EDWARD CROSS
EX PARTE: MARTEN KARREPIAN AND DIRK KARREMAN j :

MINUTES OF ORDER

JUDGE MAKING ORDER:  PINCUS J.
DATE OF ORDER:  21 SEPTEMBER 1988

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WHERE MADE:  BRISBANE
THE COURT ORDERS THAT: 
i 1. the matter be adjourned to 9 a.m. on 11 October
1988;
2. the written undertaklng given by Mr Cross be filed; '. .
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3 . today's proceedings including the argument be
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transcribed;

4 .    the costs of today's hearing be the petitioning creditors' costs ln the proceedings.

NOTE :  Settlement and entry of orders is dealt with in
- Rule 124 of the Bankruptcy Rules.

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IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA 1
DIVISION GENERAL 1 QLD P1035 of 1988 i'
BANKRUPTCY DISTRICT OF THE SOUTHERN )
DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF QUEENSLAND )

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RE:  WAYNE EDWARD CROSS
EX PARTE: MARTEN KARREI?AN  AND DIRK KARREMAN
PINCUS J. 21 SEPTEMBER 1988
EX TEMPORE REASONS FOR JUDGMENT i.
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In this matter the affidavit is, as Mr Aldridge says, ! , I
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very unsatisfactory, and the evidence of Mr Cross i , in general, . .
unsatisfactory. No serious attempt has been made to give a I
complete account of his financial position, and there is certainly

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reason to think that it is quite hopeless. The contract is a
strange document, and the principal element of strangeness is the . .
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printed clause 29, which seems to me to be designed to make the r .
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whole document almost a snare and a delusion. It is a matter for i '
surprise that the Law Society approved of it. The general effect
of the contract seems to be that the purchaser has two weeks to
get finance. If he does not get finance, whether through his own

fault or not, he gets the deposit back. The only qualification to

that is under clause 30, the vendor seems to obtain some benefit,
in that he gets the interest on the deposit if the contract is not

completed due to the default of the purchaser. Therefore, the

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purchaser does not risk much, and the absence of evidence - of any I
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substantial kind - that the purchaser is really interested in I
is concern. buying for a matter 1

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Nevertheless, I have decided to grant an adjournment,
subject to the giving of an undertaking, and the undertaking is !
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designed to protect the position of the petitioning creditor t.3
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during the period of adjournment. I notice from paragraph 5 that l
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Mr Cross has been busy preferring creditors during the current '

month, having paid $41,000 - odd during that period of time, the

source of whrch is undisclosed. : >
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It is a matter for discusslon between the parties, but :
it will be necessary for Mr Cross to give some undertaking to

prevent this bleeding away of whatever financial position he has

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to the detriment of the petitioning creditors, pending the further

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hearing of the matter. Under this so-called contract for sale - I
it is little better, cornerclally, than an option - the date for

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approval is 7 October, which is 16 days away. But (as one might
say typically) the stated date for approval is not really the date
for approval at all, because if one reads the fine print, it turns I .
out that the date on which everything crystallizes is two days
later:  9 October, which is a Sunday.
The orders will be that the matter be adjourned to 9
a.m. on the date I have mentioned - that is 11 October, to be
heard by me. The written undertaking given by Mr Cross will be
filed. I direct that today's proceedings, including the argument,
be transcribed. The costs of the hearing today will be the ,
petitioning creditors' cos ts in t he proceedings.

f certify tKat this and the & preceding
pages are a trus copy of the reasons for
judgment herein of His Honour

Mr. Justice Pincus

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Details
AGLC
Cross, Re W.E. Karreman, Ex Parte M. & D. [1988] FCA 591
Case
[1988] FCA 591
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

In the Federal Court of Australia, Pincus J heard an application in bankruptcy proceedings concerning Wayne Edward Cross. The petitioning creditors, Marten Karreman and Dirk Karreman, sought an order to have Cross declared bankrupt. The primary issue before the court was whether Cross's financial situation warranted the declaration of bankruptcy and if an adjournment of the hearing was appropriate under the circumstances. Pincus J considered the unsatisfactory nature of Cross's affidavit and the evidence provided, noting that Cross had not made a serious attempt to account for his financial position, which appeared hopeless. The court also scrutinised the contract between Cross and the Karremans, highlighting clause 29 as particularly problematic, as it seemed designed to protect the purchaser at the expense of the vendor.

Pincus J concluded that despite the deficiencies in Cross's financial disclosures, an adjournment was warranted to allow Cross to provide a more complete account of his financial status and to protect the interests of the petitioning creditors. The court required Cross to give an undertaking to prevent the dissipation of his assets, particularly in light of the $41,000 he had paid to other creditors recently. Pincus J set the matter for further hearing on 11 October 1988, directing that Cross's written undertaking be filed, the proceedings be transcribed, and the costs of the hearing be borne by the petitioning creditors.

Orders

Orders of the court

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Background

Background to the litigation

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Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

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Decision

Reasons for decision

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Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

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