Halse v Rangiura Trust Board

IN THE HIGH COURT OF NEW ZEALAND HAMILTON REGISTRY

I TE KŌTI MATUA O AOTEAROA KIRIKIRIROA ROHE

CIV-2022-419-000070

[2023] NZHC 1519

BETWEEN

ALLAN GEOFFREY HALSE

Plaintiff

AND

RANGIURA TRUST BOARD

First Defendant

AND

NORRIS WARD MCKINNON LTD

Second Defendant

AND

SAMUEL WALLACE HOOD

Third Defendant

AND

ERIN REBEKAH ANDERSON

Fourth Defendant

Hearing:

19 April 2023

Appearances:

Plaintiff in Person

Michael Robertson and Sophie Pasley for the First Defendant Virginia Wethey and Rachel Anderson for the Second to Fourth Defendants

Judgment:

19 June 2023

JUDGMENT OF MOORE J

This judgment was delivered by me on 19 June 2023 at 3:00 pm pursuant to Rule 11.5 of the High Court Rules 2016.

Registrar/ Deputy Registrar Date:

HALSE v RANGIURA TRUST BOARD & ORS [2023] NZHC 1519 [19 June 2023]

Contents

Paragraph number

Introduction.............................................................................................................. [1]

Background.............................................................................................................. [5]

Statement of claim................................................................................................. [27]

Strike out application............................................................................................ [41]

Summary of respective positions.......................................................................... [42]

Legal principles – defendants’ strike out and summary judgment

applications........................................................................................................ [48]

Analysis on strike out/summary judgment applications....................................... [55]

Strike out.............................................................................................................. [58]

(a)Deceit.................................................................................................... [59]

(b)Fraud and conspiracy to defraud.......................................................... [69]

(c)Knowing assistance............................................................................... [78]

Abuse of process.................................................................................................. [84]

Summary judgment application........................................................................... [96]

Application under s 166 of the Senior Courts Act............................................ [103]

Result..................................................................................................................... [117]

Introduction

[1]    Mr Allan Halse, the plaintiff, brings causes of action in deceit, fraud, conspiracy to defraud, and knowing assistance against each of the four defendants, being Rangiura Trust Board (“Rangiura”), Norris Ward McKinnon Ltd (“NWM”), Mr Samuel Hood and Ms Erin Anderson.

[2]    The first defendant, Rangiura, applies to strike out the proceedings under r 15.1 of the High Court Rules Act 2016 (“the Rules”), alternatively for summary judgment under r 12.2.

[3]    This is supported by the second, third and fourth defendants, who also bring an application for an extended order under s 166 of the Senior Courts Act 2016 (“the Senior Courts Act”) restraining Mr Halse from commencing or continuing civil proceedings on this matter or any related matter in any senior Court, another Court, or Tribunal.

[4]This judgment deals with each of the applications.

Background

[5]    On 31 March 2022, Mr Halse brought these proceedings against Rangiura and its legal advisors.

[6]    The origin of the dispute is a mediation which took place on 5 March 2018. It was an employment dispute.

[7]    NWM is an incorporated Hamilton law firm. It represented Rangiura which runs a rest home in a small Waikato town. Mr Hood, the third defendant, is a partner of NWM. He represented Rangiura in the employment dispute. He was assisted by the fourth defendant, Ms Anderson, who at the time was an associate of the firm.

[8]    The employee was represented by Mr Halse, an employment advocate. He is not a lawyer. He is, however, able to take instructions and act in employment disputes

by virtue of the Employment Relations Act 2000.1 Mr Halse was the sole director and shareholder of CultureSafe NZ Limited (“CultureSafe”). CultureSafe, which is…