Barton, Terence v Official Receivers [1984] FCA 368
Federal Court of Australia
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CATCHWORDS
Bankruptcy - avoidance of antecedent transactions - payment of monev
bv way of loan - whether "a settlement" - whether made "for valuable
consideration".
Bankruptcy Act 1966: ss. 120; 121
TERENCE BARTON v. THE OFFICIAL RECEIVER
G417 of 1983
Sweeney, Fisher & Lockhart JJ.
12 November, 1984
Svdnev
IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALI
NEW SOUTH WALES DISTRICT REGISTRY
GENERAL DIVISION
ko
ee we
No. G417 of 1983
ON APPEAL FROM A SINGLE JUDGE
OF THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
BETWEEN : TERENCE BARTON
Appellant
AND: THE 0
'ICTAL_RECEIVER
Respondent
ORDER
JUDGES MAKING ORDERS: Sweenev. Fisher & Lockhart JJ.
DATE OF ORDER: 12 November, 1984
WHERE MADE: Svdnev
THE COURT ORDERS THAT:
The order of the court made on 13 December 1983 that the
appellant pay to the Official Receiver the sum of $170.000 be
varied by reserving leave to the Official Receiver to applv to
the trial Judae tor appropriate orders as to how much of and
when the said sum should be paid.
Otherwise the appeal be dismissed.
The appellant pav the costs of the Official Receiver of this
appeal.
IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA )
)
NEW SOUTH WALES DISTRICT REGISTRY ) NO. G417 of 1983
)
GENERAL DIVISION )
On appeal from a single judge of the Federal Court of
Australia.
Between: TERENCE BARTON Appellant
and
THE OFFICIAL RECEIVER Respondent
Coram: Sweeney, Fisher & Lockhart JJ.
Place: Sydney
Date : !2 November 1984
Reasons for Judgment
Sweeney, J.
This is an appeal from the judgment of a single judge of
this court declaring that a payment made on or about 14 April
1973 by Thomas Barton (the bankrupt) to his uncle Terence
Barton (the appellant) in the sum of $170,000.00 was "a
settlement of property" within the meaning of s.120(1) of the
Bankruptcy Act 1966 (the Act) and was not "made -- for
valuable consideration" within the meaning of paragraph
120(1)(a) of the Act. It was ordered that the said payment
was void as against the Official Receiver, that the appellant
pay the said sum to the Official Receiver and that the
appellant pay the Official Receiver's costs.
The Official Receiver had brought an application
pursuant to ss.120 and 121 of the Act to avoid the payment.
These sections in their 1974 form, as they applied to the
transaction in question, read as follows:
"120. (1) A settlement of property, whether made
before or after the commencement of this Act, not
being -
(a) a settlement made before and in consideration
of marriage, or made in favour of a purchaser
or encumbrancer in good faith and for valuable
consideration; or
(bd) a settlement made on or for the spouse or
children of the settlor of property that has
accrued to the settlor after marriage in right
of the spouse of the settlor,
is, if the settlor becomes a bankrupt within two
years after the date of the settlement void as
against the trustee in the bankruptcy.
(2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)...
(8) In this section, "settlement of property"
includes any disposition of property."
"121 (1) Subject to this section, a disposition of
property, whether made before or after the
commencement of this Act, with intent to defraud
creditors, not being a disposition for valuable
consideration in favour of a person who acted in
good faith, is, if the person making the
disposition subsequently becomes a bankrupt, void
as against the trustee in the bankruptcy.
(2) Nothing in this section shall be taken to
affect or prejudice the title or interest of a
person who has, in good faith and for valuable
consideration, purchased or acquired the property
the subject of the disposition or any interest in
that property.
(3) In this section, 'disposition of property'
includes a mortgage of property or a charge on or
in respect of property."
In relation to s.120, the learned trial judge held that
there was "a settlement of property" in favour of "a
purchaser" "in good faith" but not "for valuable
consideration." In his notice of appeal, the appellant
contended that his Honour erred in holding that the payment
was "a settlement of property" and in holding that it was not
"for valuable consideration." In its notice of contention
the Official Receiver contended that his Honour erred in
holding that the appellant was "a purchaser" and that the
payment was "made - - in good faith." It can be seen,
therefore, that each of his Honour's conclusions referred to
in relation to 8.120 was challenged before us.
In relation to s.121, the learned trial judge held that
there was "a disposition of property" in favour of a person
who acted "in good faith" but not "for valuable
consideration" and not "with intent to defraud creditors".
His Honour applied the reasoning stated in his consideration
of s.120 to reach the conclusion that under s.121 the
disposition was in favour of a person who acted "in good
faith" but not "for valuable consideration." In its notice
of cross appeal the Official Receiver contended that his
Honour erred in holding that the disposition was not made
"with intent to defraud creditors" and in holding that it was
in favour of a person who acted "in good faith". Therefore,
each of his Honour's conclusions referred to in relation to
s.-121, other than that the payment was "a disposition of
property", was challenged before us.
In the course of his finding of fact his Honour said:-
"In April 1973, the Barton family included Mrs.
Barton senior, her son Alexander Barton and his
wife and her mother Mrs. Buchalter. The two older
ladies were over 70 and Mrs. Buchalter was sick.
Both died in 1975. These four lived at 187
Edinburgh Road, Castlecrag, near Sydney, the older
ladies being cared for by Mrs. Alexander
Barton with the assistance of an experienced nurse
and some domestic help. Terence Barton, (now the
appellant) brother of Alexander, lived with his
wife in a unit at McMahon's Point. Thomas Barton,
the bankrupt, son of Alexander Barton, and his wife
(nee Bellamy) Lived in an apartment at 21 Thornton
Street, Darling Point, owned by A.T. Investments
Pty. Limited (A.T.I.). It is said Mrs. Alexander
Barton had looked after the elderly ladies for some
years. It was proposed that the appellant, then
aged 61 or 62, and his wife, should undertake this.
Since these ladies, referred to as the
grandmothers, had lived for some time at 187
Edinburgh Road, Castlecrag, it was suggested that
1t be appropriate they remain there and the
appellant and his wife should also go to live
there, Alexander Barton and his wife moving to
other premises. The house itself was owned by
Cordec Corporation Pty. Limited (Cordec). The
evidence including that of the bankrupt was to the
effect that over a period from mid 1972 to April
1973, there were conversations between Alexander
Barton, the appellant and the bankrupt, including
reference to the appellant and his wife taking over
care of the grandmothers; Alexander Barton told the
appellant he would need to buy 187 Edinburgh Road,
Castlecrag, that the appellant said he did not have
sufficient funds to buy the property unassisted
whereat Alexander Barton said, "We will lend you
the money." It was said that the necessity to buy
the house was on the advice of a Mr. Grusman, a
practicising barrister and a Queen's Counsel, who
advised the Bartons and their companies, that the
appellant who was not connected or associated with
Cordec could not have the use of the house for
nothing. There was also discussion as to lending
the appellant money to purchase shares in
Hawkesbury Developments Pty. Limited (Hawkesbury)
As part of the background it should be mentioned
that on 4 April 1973 Messrs B.S. Smith and M.W.
Burke were, pursuant to s.170(1) of the Companies
Act 1961 (N.S.W.), appointed to investigate the
affairs of thirty companies and later, a further
thirty one companies referred to in annexures 1 and
2 to the First Interim Report on the Special
Investigation of the Barton Group of Companies (the
First Interim Report) dated 28 August 1973. All
companies referred to in these reasons, except what
are apparently Swiss Corporations, were mentioned
and included in those annexures. Other evidence is
to the effect that Alexander Barton, and probably
the bankrupt, were intending to make an overseas
trip in 1973 though the time for it had not been
precisely fixed."
In April 1973 Mr and Mrs Alexander Barton and the
bankrupt and his wife left Australia by air. Before their
departure, the bankrupt and the appellant entered into a loan
agreement in the following terms:-
"THIS DEED IS MADE the 14th day of April One
Thousand Nine Hundred and Seventy Three BETWEEN
THOMAS BARTON of 23 Thornton Street Darling Point
New South Wales (hereinafter referred to as "the
lender") and TERENCE BARTON of 154 Bellevue Road
Double Bay New South Wales (hereinafter referred to
as "the borrower").
NOW THE DEED WITNESSESS:
1. The lender shall lend to the borrower the sum
of $170,000.00 the receipt whereof is hereby
acknowledged upon the following conditions:-
(a) Interest shall be payable at the rate of 1/2%
in excess of the rate from time to time paid by the
Commonwealth Savings Bank to depositers who have
deposited sums not exceeding two thousand dollars
in that bank. Such interest shall be payable as to
the first five years of the loan on the fifth
annual anniversary of the date of the making of the
loan and thereafter at five yearly intervals.
(b) The principal shall be repayable on the
expiration of twenty years of the making of the
loan."
The sum of $170,000 was paid to the appellant, who
purchased the Hawkesbury shares for $50,000 and the house at
187 Edinburgh Road and its contents for $120,000. The
appellant and his wife immediately moved into the house. It
was expected that the appellant might derive income from
those shares, which he could later sell at a profit, and so
be put in funds to care for the two grandmothers.
On 23 August 1974 an order of sequestration was made
against the estate of the bankrupt, of which the Official
Receiver became trustee.
The appellant's first submissions on appeal related to
the learned trial judge's finding that the Official Receiver
had established that the appellant was not a purchaser "for
valuable consideration."
His Honour began his consideration of this question by
referring to a number of authorities dealing with the meaning
of the words "for valuable consideration" in s.120 of the Act
and in s.42 of the Bankruptcy Act 1914. (Eng), which is in
terms almost identical with 8.120. Those authorities
included In Re a Debtor, Ex Parte The Official Receiver
(Trustee of the Property of the Debtor) v Morrison (1965) 1
W.L.R. 1498 in which Stamp J. said at p.1505:
"In construing the section, I must have regard to
the fact that it is clearly formed to prevent
properties from being put into the hands of
relatives to the disadvantage of creditors, and as
was said, in effect, by Sir George Jessel M.R. in
Ex parte Hillman, the section falls to be construed
in a commercial sense."
His Honour also referred to Re Windle (1975) 3 All E.R.
987 where at p.995 Goff J. cited this passage from Morrison's
case.
In Re Windle a bankrupt had transferred to his wife the
matrimonial home, subject to a mortgage but having a valuable
equity of redemption. Goff J. held that the wife's covenant
to indemnify the bankrupt against his liability under the
mortgage could not be regarded as valuable consideration. He
said at p.994:
- - ~ for this purpose the expression 'purchaser
for valuable consideration' does not import a
purchase in the strict sense of a contract of
purchase and sale, but it does postulate a person
who in a commercial sense provides a quid pro quo:"
In the earlier decision of Re Densham [1975] 3 All E.R.
726 Goff J. had held that a wife's contribution to the
original purchase of the matrimonial home was not valuable
consideration in a commercial sense and accordingly the
interest conferred on her by her bankrupt husband constituted
a settlement voidable under the section. At p.735-736 Goff
J. said:
"I cannot say, therefore, that there was not a
valuable consideration, because it did not equal
the share given up by the bankrupt or cannot be
evaluated so as to show that it did. However
pearing in mind the approach to the section of
Stamp J. in Morrison [1965] 3 All E.R. 453 and the
views expressed in the cases to which I have
referred, that one must look at it in a commercial
sense, I cannot think that the contribution by the
wife in respect of which she is in any event
entitled to an appropriate aliquot share in equity,
and which ex hypothesi affords nothing in relation
to any larger share can, on these principles, be
held to be valuable consideration within the
section."
Re Windle was applied by Brightman J. in Trustee of C.R.
Spinks (in bankruptcy) v Dicker which is noted at 122 Sol Jo
791. Part of the note of the decision reads:
"However, the creditors had to be 'purchasers for
valuable consideration' within the section and
there had to be a quid pro quo in a commercial
sense for the surrendered asset: see Re Windle (a
bankrupt), ex parte Trustee of the Property of the
Bankrupt v Bankrupt [1975] 1 WLR 1628. The only
consideration moving from the creditors was the
undertaking to give notice of proceedings. Any or
all of the creditors could have given seven days'
notice the moment the deed was signed and therefore
the advantage to the debtor was a triviality. The
quid pro quo was of no commercial value at all.
There was no advantage in it to the debtor".
His Honour also referred to Re Abbott (1982) 3 All E.R.
181. In that case a wife compromised her bona fide claim to
a property adjustment order under s.24(1) of the Matrimonial
Causes Act 1973 (Eng) in return for the right to part of her
bankrupt husband's share in the net proceeds of sale of the
matrimonial home. The court held the wife to be a purchaser
for valuable consideration.
Peter Gibson J. at p.184 summarised the effect of the
earlier English cases as establishing three propositions:
firstly, "The word 'purchaser' in s.42(1) means a buyer in
the ordinary commercial sense, that is to say a person
providing a quid pro quo:"; secondly, "The consideration
moving from the purchaser need not replace in the hands of
the debtor the consideration moving from the debtor:";
thirdly, "The consideration given by the purchaser need not
be equal in value to the consideration given by the debtor,
though it must be valuable consideration in the commercial
sense;"
Sir Robert Megarry V-C at p.187 when considering the
meaning of "valuable consideration" in 3.42(1) of the English
Act said:
"The question, then, is what that meaning is.
Plainly 'good consideration', in the sense of the
natural love and affection that a man has for his
wife and children, is not enough. Nor is a merely
nominal consideration, even though it would suffice
to support a simple contract at common law. In the
context of the avoidance of settlements by a
trustee in bankruptcy, a 'purchaser . . . for
valuable consideration' must be someone who can not
only be described as being a 'purchaser' but can
also be said to have given a consideration for his
purchase which has a real and substantial value,
and not one which is merely nominal or trivial or
colourable.
It is in this sense that I understand the use of
the phrase about providing a quid pro quo that is
to be found in the authorities. In that phrase, I
do not think that the word 'quid' is confined to
some material asset which can or will replace in
the hands of the debtor the asset of which he has
disposed to the purchaser."
In my opinion, s.120(1)(a) requires the Official
Receiver to show that the appellant had not provided
consideration which had a real and substantial value,
amounting to a quid pro quo in a commercial sense for the
loan which was made to him. In a case such as the present it
is helpful to see what the appellant obtained under the loan
agreement and what he agreed to give in return.
What the appellant obtained under the loan was the
immediate payment to him of $170,000.00, which he or his
executor was required to repay in 1993 dollars, with no
repayment of capital required before the expiration of 20
years.
What the appellant agreed to give in return included
interest at a rate which his Honour found to be effectively 4
1/28, upon evidence which he said was not contradicted.
Before us there was some discussion as to the accuracy of
that figure but it seems clear that the rate of interest from
the date of the loan to the time of trial was of this order
and for the balance of the term would have been likely to
remain considerably lower than the normal interest rates
payable on long term unsecured loans.
In considering the loan, it is permissible for the Court
to apply its general knowledge of interest rates (see Wilson
v Moss (1909) 8 C.L.R. 146 per Isaacs J at p.167,) general
increases in the cost of living, but not of particular
statistics (see Re Richardson 1920 S.A.S.R. 25), and the
general inflationary trend in the economy (see National
Trustees Executors and Agency Co of Australasia Ltd 1973 V.R.
610).
So regarded, the interest payable was very low, when
considered at its face, or nominal value. When one looks at
it in real terms, making allowance for likely future
ll
inflation over the life of the loan, even taking a view of
the future favourable to the case for the appellant, the real
rate of interest shrinks greatly, if it does not altogether
disappear.
In addition, interest was payable at 5 yearly intervals.
If one contrasts this even with interest payable annually,
which would ordinarily be regarded as a term favourable to a
borrower, the appellant was in effect to receive an interest
free loan of the amount of interest that would have been
payable, say at the expiration of the first year, for four
years and corresponding interest free loans in respect of
later years. The effect of this discounting factor upon the
real return to the lender serves to emphasise the striking
disproportion between what the appellant obtained under the
loan agreement and what he agreed to give in return.
The covenant by the appellant to repay and the covenant
to pay interest must be valued in the light of his age at the
time of the loan, 61 or 62 his comparatively modest means,
and the term of the loan. His Honour found that the
evidence disclosed no great earning capacity by him "or
prospects thereof or of his ownership of capital assets of
such worth as to encourage one to form a favourable opinion
of his ability to repay."
The appellant's agreement to care for the two
grandmothers is to be considered in the context that he was
not accepting the sole financial responsibility for them. He
agreed to buy the house and move into it with his wife, in
the place of Alexander Barton and his wife, but there was
nothing to suggest that the financial support of other
members of the Barton family for the ladies would not
continue to be available. The appellant's financial position
was seen as being much inferior to that of Alexander Barton
and, indeed, of the bankrupt, who was, after all, making this
loan to the appellant.
The family arrangement that the appellant would take
care of the ladies is to be considered in this context and
even taking it into account, together with the appellant's
agreement to buy the house and shares at values which were
not attacked as improper or inappropriate, there would, in my
opinion, be no reason to disturb his Honour's finding that
the appellant was not a purchaser "for valuable
consideration" within the meaning of s.120(1)(a) of the Act.
The appellant also challenged his Honour's finding that
the deed amounted to a settlement of property within the
meaning of that enactment. Under gs.120(8) "settlement of
property" includes any disposition of property. "Property"
means real or personal property of every description, whether
situate in Australia or elsewhere, and includes any estate,
interest or profit, whether present or future, vested or
contingent, arising out of or incident to any such real or
personal property.
The loan was not made to the appellant so that the money
should be immediately dissipated or consumed. He received
the right to the use of the money for 20 years and it was
contemplated that he would apply if for the purposes of the
purchase of designated real and personal property. The real
property in turn was to be retained by him as a residence not
only for himself and his wife but also for the two
grandmothers. There remained an obligation upon him to repay
the money.
In my opinion, the payment of the sum of $170,000 by the
bankrupt to the appellant amounted to a settlement of
property within the meaning of s.120 (sée Re Hyams 19 F.L.R.
232 at 252 per Gibbs J, as he then was, and the citations
there made).
In Re Ward (Sydney, 17 August 1984) Wilcox J. considered
the English and Australian authorities on the meaning of
"settlement" and drew attention to the fact that "settlement"
is no longer defined as including a "conveyance or transfer
of property" but as including "any disposition of property".
His Honour expressed the view that it ought to be enough to
constitute a settlement that the relevant transaction is a
deliberate disposition of a capital fund, saying that "it
ought to be immaterial whether the settlor contemplates that
the capital fund will be held indefinitely in specie,
converted to some other form of capital or spent by the
settlee. However this may be, it is not necessary to
determine this case by reference to any wider interpretation
of the word 'settlement' than that indicated in the
authorites to which I have referred". In the case before us,
it is unnecessary to decide whether a wider interpretation is
justified, but if the question were to arise, there is
clearly, if I may say so with respect, a great deal to be
said in favour of that interpretation.
By leave, the appellant also argued two grounds not
included in his notice of appeal. The first was that his
Honour erred in ordering the appellant to pay the sum of
$170,000 to the Official Receiver in the absence of any
finding that payment of this amount was necessary to satisfy
the debts of the bankrupt and the costs of the bankruptcy.
In my opinion, this contention is well founded (see In
re Macdonald ex parte McCullum 1920 1 KB 205 at 212). I
would vary his Honour's order by deleting the order that the
appellant pay the sum of $170,000 to the Official Receiver
by reserving leave to the Official Receiver to apply to his
Honour, pursuant to the liberty which was reserved, for an
appropriate order as to payment.
The second ground argued by leave was that "his Honour
erred in ordering the appellant to pay the whole of the costs
of a long hearing a great part of which was directed to
issues upon which the appellant succeeded. "In the course of
that hearing his Honour heard a great deal of evidence and he
said of the appellant that he was not a witness whose
testimony on disputed matters he would readily accept and
that he had formed "an unfavourable view of his credibility
and indeed of his motives."
I would not disturb the order for costs.
I do not find it necessary to decide the other questions
raised.
Save for the variation of his Honour's order set out
above, I would dismiss the appeal with costs.
I certify that this and the fourteen
(14) preceding pages are a true copy
of the Reasons for Judgment herein
of the Honourable Mr_Justice Sweeney
Associate
Dated: | * November 1984
IN COURT OF AUSTRALIA
NEW SOUTH WALES DISTRICT REGISTRY
GENERAL DIVISION
No. G417 of 1983
ON APPEAL FROM A SINGLE JUDGE
OF THE FEDERAL COURT OF
AUSTRALIA
BETWEEN:
TERENCE BARTON
Appellant
- and -
THE OFFICIAL RECEIVER
Respondent
CORAM: Sweeney, Fisher & Lockhart JJ.
(2 November 1984
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
FISHER J.: In this matter I have had the opportunity to peruse
the draft reasons of Sweeney J. I agree with him that the appeal
should be dismissed and generally with his reasons. There is no
need for me to repeat the facts which he has set out and which I
adopt. I will merely andicate briefly my findings on the
principal matters in issue.
I agree with the trial judge and with Sweeney J. that
the transaction in question was a "settlement of property" within
the meaning of s.120 and s.121 of the Bankruptcy Act 1966 ("the
2.
Act"). That transaction was essentially a payment of money upon
certain specified terms and conditions, in particular the
condition that an equivalent sum was to he repaid at the
expiration of 20 years. This latter condition amply complies
with the requirement of Dixon J. in Williams v Lloyd (1933) 50
C.L.R. 341 at page 375 that "the retention of the property in
some sense must be contemplated and not its immediate dissipation
or consumption". At that time "settlement" was defined as
including "any conveyance or transfer of property". There is
lattle doubt that by subsequently defining 1t to include any
"disposition of property" the legislature intended to expand the
ambit of the term. As Meqgarry V.C. said in Re Abbott £1982] 3
All E.R. 181 at page 187
"But the 1914 Act has understandably cast its net wide.
Under s.42(4), the payment 1s a 'settlement' because
that word includes 'any conveyance or transfer of
property'; and under s.167 'property includes
'money'."
By its amendment to the definition of settlement the Australian
legislature has clearly indicated that it intended to cast the
net vet wider.
The respondent contended that the trial judge erred in
holding that the appellant was a "purchaser". However, bearing
in mind, in particular, the wide scope given to the meaning of
"settlement", I have no doubt that the trial itudge was correct in
his finding and there is little profit in the circumstances in
debating the matter further.
The principal question argued before us and upon which
this appeal falls for determination 15 whether the consideration
provided by the appellant for the payment to him of $170,000 was
"valuable consideration" as required by the Act. Megarry V.C. in
Re Abbott supra construed this requirement as consideration
"which has areal and substantial value, and not one which is
merely nominal or trivial or colourable". If one adds to this
the requirement that the consideration must be viewed "ina
commercial sense" (Re Densham £19751] 3 All E.R. 726 per Goff J.
at 735-736). a critical assessment of the aggregate of the items
of consideration here leaves little doubt as to the correct
answer. It 15 of course accepted that the consideration is not
required to be adequate or sufficient. But it 1s not proper in
My view to comsider each term upon which the loan was made
separately and divorced from other terms. In other circumstances
the duration of this loan or the rate of interest might be
commercially acceptable and of real and substantial value.
However when the terms are considered together there 1s no doubt
that the consideration in this matter was merely nominal and in
fact illusory. An unsecured loan of a substantial sum for 20
years to a person 62 years of age with limited means is
immediately suspect. This suspicion 1s compounded when it is
apparent that the rate of interest was that normally applicable
to a smail sum of money repayable on demand or short notice. It
is thus a rate which in present circumstances takes no account
and makes no provision for inevitable depreciation in the value
of money during the term of the loan. The fact that the lender
4.
received no payments of interest until the expiration of the
first and each subsequent five year period of the loan confirms
that this consideration 1s both trivial and colourable. The
consequence of the transaction was that the estate of the
bankrupt available to creditors was effectively diminished, for
all practical purposes, to the extent of $170,000. The fact that
the transaction was alleged to be a family dealing, with the
appellant ,agreeing to care for elderly relatives during an
unspecified period, does little in my opinion, to establish that
the consideration should be assessed as valuable. The fact that
the consideration 1s capable of monetary quantification means
that 1t 1s more able to be critically assessed than if it was
consideration in the nature of a forbearance to sue or compromise
of a dispute. The trial judge in my opinion correctly concluded
that the consideration was not valuable.
The respondent challenged the trial judge's finding that
the settlement was made 1m good faith and his finding that, in
relation to 5.121, 1t was not made with intent to defraud
creditors. I would agree with the latter finding, as there was
no evidence that at the date of the settlement the bankrupt, and
indeed the appellant, could have reasonably heen aware that the
bankrupt had any creditors. The trial judge also was of opinion
that the requirement that the purchaser should be "a purchaser in
good faith" was established, or more correctly that the
respondent had failed to prove to the contrary. I agree with
this finding if the sole test of bona fides was that relied upon
5.
by the trial judge, namely that "existence of knowledge or
suspicion of an inability to pay debts as they fall due negatives
good faith". This test was taken from the judgment of Latham
C.J. an Downs Distributing Company Ltd. v Associated Blue Star
Stores Pty. Ltd. (In liquidation) (1948) 76 C.L.R. 463 @ 472. In
that case however the High Court was considering "good faith" in
the context of the preferential payments provisions in 5.95 of
the then Bankruptcy Act. It has been said that these words do
not necessarily have the same meaning in other sections of the
Act (See Williams on Bankruptcy 18th Edition p.375 McDonald,
Henry and Meek, Australian Bankruptcy Law 5th Edition p.320) and
that under the sections dealing with avoidance of settlements
they mean "absence of dishonesty or of any conscious attempt to
defraud any other person". If this be the case, there is much to
be said for a wider review of the present transactions beyond
merely considering their impact upon the anterests of the
bankrupt's creditors. In this regard I note that Buckley L.J. in
Re Pope (19087 2 K.B. 169 at 174 said that the "words 'in good
faith' exclude colourable transactions" and also that the
expression normally means that dealings are made with honesty and
propriety.
In this present matter the inference can fairly be drawn
that the purpose of the transactions was to remove from two of
the Barton family companies the only valuable or potentially
valuable assets of the group, namely the Castlecrag dwellinghouse
and the shares in Hawkesbury Developments Pty. Ltd. Such
6.
withdrawals took place very shortly after investigators had been
appointed to these companies under the Companies Act 1961
(N.S.W.) By arranging the transactions the bankrupt and his
father as directors mot only ensured that these assets were
vested in friendly hands, but also that the bankrupt's loan
accounts with the two companies became virtually worthless. The
trial judge found that the appellant's participation in the
transactions "was that of an acquiescent at the behest of the
Dankrupt and Alexander Barton" and that he would not readily
accept the appellant's evidence. In my opinion this inference as
to the real purpose of the transactions can fairly be drawn and
the evidence of the appellant would not persuade one to the
contrary. However ain the circumstances of this matter i21t 15
meither necessary nor desirable to form any concluded view,
Particularly as this as the purpose of the transactions does not
appear to have been put to the participants. It 1s also proper
to observe that to approach "good faith" in thas manner may well
not accord with the view of Gibbs J., as he then was, in Re
Hyams, Official Receiver v Hyams (1970) 19 F.L.R. 232 at page 256
where he said that "in good faith", in the context of the
predecessor to 5.120, means "without notice that any fraud or
preference contrary to the statute 1s intended". However it was
not necessary on the facts of that case to decide whether a wider
meaning can in appropriate circumstances be given to the words.
Finally I agree with Sweeney J. that the appellant
should not be ordered to pay the full amount of $170,000 to the
7.
respondent, but only so much as is required to discharge the
obligations of the bankrupt. But for this necessary variation in
the order of the trial judge, the appeal should be dismissed with
costs.
i curtify that this and the 6 preceding
¢ «gas are a true copy of the Reasons for
Juagment of Mr Justice Fisher
Z
tH
¢ a Associate
Dated [ue (Levan (48Y
7? -
IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA )
NEW SOUTH WALES DISTRICT REGISTRY
GENERAL DIVISTON
No. G417 of 1983
~www~
ON APPEAL FROM A SINGLE JUDGE
OF THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
BETWEEN : TERENCE BARTON
Appellant
AND: THE OFFICIAL RECEIVER
Respondent
CORAM: Sweeney, Fisher & Lockhart JJ.
DATE: |2 November 1984
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
LOCKHART J.
April 1973 was a busv and eventful month in the Barton
household. Alexander Barton lived in a house. No. 187 Edinburah Road,
Castlecrag ("the house") with his wife and their mothers - Mrs. Barton
Snr. and Mrs. Buchalter. The two older women were over 70 vears of
age and Mrs. Buchalter was sick; they both died in 1975. Mrs.
Alexander Barton cared for the older women. The house was owned by a
company, Cordec Corporation Pty. Limited ("Cordec"), of which Mr.
Alexander Barton and his son, Thomas Barton, ("the bankrupt") were
directors and shareholders.
2.
Terence Barton, the appellant, is a brother of Mr. Alexander
Barton. In April 1973 he was 62 years of age and lived with his wife
in a flat at McMahons Point.
From about mid 1972 to April 1973 Mr. Alexander Barton, the
appellant and the bankrupt discussed from time to time the possibility
of the appellant and his wife living in the house and taking over the
care of Mrs. Barton Snr. and Mrs. Buchalter. It was envisaged that
the appellant would buy the house and, as he did not have sufficient
funds, to do this. Mr. Alexander Barton would arrange a loan to the
appellant to enable this to be done. It appears that senior counsel
advised the Bartons and their companies that the appellant could not
have the use of the house for nothing as he was not associated with
Cordec. There was also discussion amonaq the Bartons about the
possibility of the appellant being lent sufficient funds to purchase
shares in a company, Hawkesbury Developments Pty. Limited
("Hawkesbury"), also apparently a company in which members of the
Barton family had interests. The object of the loan was to enable the
appellant to derive income from the shares to enable him to help look
after the older women.
On 4 April 1973 inspectors were appointed by the
Attornev-General of New South Wales, pursuant to gs. 170(1) of the
Companies Act (N.S.W.) 1961. to investigate the affairs of a larae
number of companies in which Mr. Alexander Barton and the bankrupt
were interested including Cordec and Hawkesburv.
3.
Saturday, the 14th to Tuesday, the 17th April 1973 were very
busy days for the Bartons. On the Saturdav, two meetings were held at
the house; one being a meeting of Cordec and the other a meeting of
Inexco Ptv. Limited ("Inexco"). Mr. Alexander Barton and the bankrupt
were directors and shareholders of Inexco. The appellant was an
alternate director for Mr. Alexander Barton and the for bankrupt in
Cordec and Inexco. It is not entirely clear whether the meetinas were
of directors or shareholders: but nothing turns on this. The meetings
were apparently arranged with some urgency. Present at both meetings
were Mr. Alexander Barton. the bankrupt and Mr. I.M. Moore, a
solicitor who was then acting for the bankrupt and the appellant. Mr.
Moore was also secretary of the two companies. A resolution was
passed at the meeting of directors of Cordec that the house and its"
contents should be sold to the appellant for the sum of $120,000. A
resolution was passed at the meeting of directors of Inexco that the
shares owned by it in Hawkesbury ("the shares") be sold to the
appellant for the sum of $50,000.
On the same day a deed of loan was executed by the bankrupt
as lender and the appellant as borrower whereby the bankrupt lent the
appellant $170,000. The material provisions of the deed are as
follows:-
"THIS DEED IS MADE the 14th day of April One
Thousand Nine Hundred and Seventy Three BETWEEN
THOMAS BARTON of 23 Thornton Street Darling Point
New South Wales (hereinafter referred to as "the
lender") and TERENCE BARTON of 154 Bellevue Road
Double Bav New South Wales (hereinafter referred to
as "the borrower").
NOW THE DEED WITNESSES:
1. The lender shall lend to the borrower the sum
of $170,000.00 the receipt whereof is hereby
acknowledqed upon the following conditions:-
(a) Interest shall be payable at the rate of 1/2%
in excess of the rate from time to time paid by the
Commonwealth Savings Bank to depositers who have
deposited sums not exceeding two thousand dollars
in that bank. Such interest shall be payable as to
the first five years of the loan on the fifth
annual anniversary of the date of the makina of the
loan and thereafter at five yearly intervals.
(b) The principal shall be repayable on the
expiration of twentv years of the making of the
loan."
The effective rate of interest payable on the loan was 4.25%,
well below commercial rates in April 1973.
The loan of $170,000 was made to the appellant for the
purpose of enabling him to purchase the house ($120,000) and the
shares ($50,000). It was thought apparently that the shares would
rise in value in the future, thus enabling the appellant to derive
income from them or to resell them at a profit. The appellant would
then have a house in which he and his wife could live and care for the
two older women with funds to maintain then.
The provision of the funds to enable the appellant to
purchase the house and the shares required an exchandae of cheques to
be made between the appellant, Cordec, Inexco and the bankrupt. On 14
April 1973 Inexco owed the bankrupt $80.000 - $100.000 and Cordec owed
him $170,000 - $180,000. On the same day the bankrupt drew a cheque
in favour of the appellant for $170,000 which he handed to the
5.
appellant. The appellant made out two cheques on his account with the
Rural Bank, one as to $120,000 in favour of Cordec and the other as to
$50,000 in favour of Inexco. On the same day a contract for the sale
of the house was executed. It had apparently been prepared before
then. A memorandum of transfer of the house was also executed bv
Cordec that day. The contract and memorandum were each dated 14 April
1973. Mr. Moore acted for the vendor, Cordec. The appellant aqave an
indemnity to Mr. Moore safequarding him against loss that miqht arise
from his not having carried out full conveyancing procedures because
of the expedition with which the transaction was completed.
On Monday, 16 April 1973 Cordec drew a cheque in favour of
the bankrupt for $144,000 and Inexco drew a cheque in his favour for
$26,000, and those cheques were paid that day to the account of the
bankrupt with the head office of the Bank of New South Wales. George
Street, Svdney. On the same dav the appellant's two cheques dated 14
April 1973 and drawn on the Rural Bank were handed to Mr. Alexander
Barton who tore them up. The appellant, the bankrupt anda Mr.
Maloney (the secretary of the Barton companies) went to a branch of
the Bank of New South Wales where Cordec, Inexco and the bankrupt had
accounts. There was opened in the name of the appellant a bankina
account into which he paid the cheque for $170,000 qiven to him bv the
bankrupt. The appellant agreed that he opened the new account so that
there could be an immediate clearance of all cheques. He obtained a
cheque book containing five cheques. Two cheques were written out for
him: one in favour of Cordec for $120,000 and the other in favour of
Inexco for $50,000. He signed both cheques on 16 April 1973. They
were to replace the two cheques which had been torn up by Mr.
Alexander Barton. The cheques were paid into the accounts of Cordec
and Inexco.
The result of these events on Friday 14 and Monday 16 April
1973 was as follows:
(a) The appellant benefited by the loan to him from the bankrupt
of $170,000 which he used immediately to pay the purchase price for
the house and for the shares.
(b) The assets of the bankrupt were reduced by the pavment out of
his bank account of the sum of §170,000 lent to the appellant.
(ec) The indebtedness of Cordec and Inexco to the bankrupt was.
reduced by the sums of $144,000 and $26,000 respectively and in lieu
thereof the bankrupt was entitled to be paid $170.000 bv the appellant
upon the expiration of 20 years, when the appellant would be 82 vears
old, assuming he survived until then. The loan to the appellant was
unsecured and no provision was made for acceleration of repayment of
the principal upon the happening of any future event. for example the
death of the appellant or default in payment of interest or the sale
of the house. In the meantime interest at a verv low rate was not
payable until the end of five years and thereafter not until the end
of each successive five year period.
(da) Cordec no longer owned the house and Inexco no longer owned
the shares. The appellant owned them.
7.
The appellant and his wife immediately moved into the
Castlecrag house.
Also on Monday 16 April 1973 arrangements were made through a
travel agent for the reservation and purchase of airline tickets to
Hong Kong and from Hong Kong to Frankfurt for Mr. Alexander Barton,
his wife, the bankrupt and his wife. It appears that some preliminary
inquiries were made about a week earlier relating to the proposed
travel. The tickets were collected on Tuesday, 17 April 1973 by the
Bartons and they all left that dav for Honqg Kong. They departed
without having told anyone of their intention to depart except perhaps
Mrs. Barton Snr. They were absent from Australia for a lona time.
On 20 June 1973 a notice of assessment to income tax issued
in respect of the taxable income of the bankrupt for the year ended 30
June 1972 under which over $77,000 tax became payable on 23 July 1973.
On 28 Auqust 1973 a petition was presented to the Federal
Court of Bankruptcy by a creditor of the bankrupt for an order
sequestrating the bankrupt's estate for money lent by the creditor to
the bankrupt between 5 and 17 April 1973. The acts of bankruptcy
alleged in the petition each relied on an intent on the part of the
bankrupt to defeat or delay his creditors.
The petitioning creditor was paid the amount of its debt bv
the appellant upon the instructions of the bankrupt and on 10 December
1973 an order was made by the Federal Court of Bankruptcy substituting
the Deputy Commissioner of Taxation as petitioning creditor. On 23
August 1974 an order of sequestration was made against the estate of
the bankrupt and The Official Receiver (the respondent to this appeal)
became trustee.
The respondent applied to this Court to avoid, pursuant to
ss. 120 and 121 of the Bankruptcy Act 1966 ("the Act"), the pavment of
$170,000 made by the bankrupt to the appellant. The application was
heard by a single judge of this Court (McGreqor J.) who declared that
the payment made on or about 14 April 1973 by the bankrupt to the
respondent in the sum of $170,000 was "a settlement of propertv"
within the meaning of sub-s. 120(1) of the Act and was not "made ...
for valuable consideration" within the meaning of paragraph (a) of
sub-s. 120(1); and declared also that the said pavment was void as
against the respondent. His Honour ordered the appellant to pav the
sum of $170,000 to the respondent and to pay the respondent's costs.
The appellant appealed to the Full Court of this Court from those
declarations and orders.
Sections 120 and 121 of the Act in their form at relevant
times read as follows:-
"120(1) A settlement of property, whether made
before or after the commencement of this Act. not
being -
(a) a settlement made before and in consideration
of marriage, or made in favour of a purchaser
or encumbrancer in good faith and for valuable
consideration: or
9.
(b) a settlement made on or for the spouse or
children of the settlor of property that has
accrued to the settlor after marriage in riqht
of the spouse of the settlor,
is, if the settlor becomes a bankrupt within two
years after the date of the settlement void as
against the trustee in the bankruptcy.
woe
(8) In this section, "settlement of property"
includes any disposition of property."
"121 (1) Subiect to this section. a disposition of
property, whether made before or after the
commencement of this Act, with intent to defraud
creditors, not being a disposition for valuable
consideration in favour of a person who acted in
qood faith, is, if the person making the
disposition subsequently becomes a bankrupt, void
as against the trustee in the bankruptcy.
(2) Nothing in this section shall be taken to
affect or prejudice the title or interest of a
person who has, in qood faith and for valuable
consideration, purchased or acquired the property
the subject of the disposition or any interest in
that property.
(3) In this section, 'disposition of property'
includes a mortgage or property or a charae on or
in respect of property."
The learned trial Judge found in relation tos. 120 that
there was "a settlement of propertv" in favour of "a purchaser" "in
aood faith" but not "for valuable consideration".
His Honour found in relation to s. 121 that there was "a
disposition of property" in favour of the appellant who acted "in qood
faith" but not "for valuable consideration" and not "with intent to
defraud creditors".
10.
Each of these findings of his Honour, except his finding that
the payment was "a disposition of property" for the purposes of
s. 121". was challenaed before us by either the appellant or the
respondent.
The principal questions argued before us and upon which in mv
opinion this appeal turns are whether the transaction in question was
a "settlement of property" within the meaning of s. 120 and whether
the consideration qiven by the appellant for the payment by the
bankrupt to him of $170,000 was "valuable consideration" within the
meaning of para. 120(1)(a).
Section 120 has a long history, beqinninag with the original |
Statute, 1 James 1 Ch.15, 8.5. Sub-s. 120(1) does not avoid the whole
transaction for all purposes. It is voidable (it is in that sense
that the word "void" must be understood in a section such as s. 120)
onlv as against the trustee in the bankruptcy and from the date when
his title accrues: in Re Brall; Ex Parte: Norton (1893) 2 0.B. 381; Re
Carter and Kenderdines Contract, (1897) 1 Ch. 776; Williams v. Lloyd
(1934) 50 C.L.R. 341 per Dixon J. at p. 374: and Re Cummins;
Richardson v. Cummins (1951) 15 A.B.C. 185 per Clvne J. at p. 188.
The word "settlement" did not appear in the original statute
of James the First. It was introduced for the first time in England
by the Bankruptcy Act 1869. It has been considered in manv cases in
the context of sections in bankruptcy statutes comparable to s. 120;
but generally where the word was defined by the relevant statute as
11.
including "any conveyance or transfer of property". The Australian
Parliament changed the definition of the expression to the form in
which it presently appears in the Act as including any "disposition of
property"; a wider expression than the previous expression "any
conveyance or transfer of property". Property is defined by s. 5 of
the Act as meaning "real or personal property of every description,
whether situate in Australia or elsewhere. and includes any estate,
interest or profit, whether present or future, vested or continaent,
arising out of or incident to any such real or personal property".
The construction of the word "settlement" has been settled in
England and Australia for an appreciable time and it has acquired an
established meaning. But it is very difficult to extract from the
decided cases any clear definition of the dispositions of property
which will and which will not fall within the operation of s. 120.
The word was chosen by Parliament to connote a particular kind of
disposition of property excluding others. It cannot be said that all
dispositions of property are settlements; nor can it be said that a
settlement is a settlement simply because it happens to he a
disposition of property. The whole of the lanquage of s. 120 must be
considered to determine the meaning of the expression.
Parliament never intended to bring within the scope of s. 120
all dispositions of property unless they have the additional quality
of being a settlement in the sense in which that term is ordinarilv
understood. Otherwise, for example, all gifts from a father to his
children for their advancement in life, could be recovered from them
12.
where the gifts were made at any time within two years before the
commencement of the father's bankruptcy notwithstanding that he mav
not have been insolvent when the aifts were made. Although I think
that s. 120 was intended to have a wide operation, I do not think that
Parliament ever intended transactions of this character necessarily to
fall within the section.
In Re Player: Ex Parte Harvey (1885) 15 0.B.D. 682 Cave J.
said at p. 687:
"The transaction must be in the nature of a
settlement, though it may be effected by a
conveyance or transfer. The end and purpose of the
thing must be a settlement, that is a disposition
of property to be held for the enjovment of some
other person. Thus a purchase by the father of
shares, which are registered in the son's name, and
upon which the son receives the dividends. is
within the Statute. But where the gift is of money
to be expended at once, the transaction is not, in
my opinion. within section 47 of the Act of 1883."
In Re Player a qift of money to a son made for the purpose of
enabling him to commence business on his own account was held not to
be a "settlement of property" within the meaning of the section of the
English Bankruptcy Act equivalent to s. 120 of the Act.
In Re Vansittart: Ex Parte Brown (1893) 1 0.B. 181 Vaughan
Williams J. approved the passage from the iudgqment of Cave J. in
Re Player (at p. 184). The Court of Appeal in Re Plummer (1900) 2
Q.B. 790 approved the principle stated in Re Player and Re Vansittart
and held that the mere fact that some business had been acquired by
the bankrupt's son, partly by means of money obtained from or paid by
13.
the father, was not sufficient to make the transaction a "settlement"
within the relevant section of the Enqlish Bankruptcy Act.
"Settlement" in the English Bankruptcy Act was held to mean such a
conveyance or transfer by the donor as contemplated the retention of
the property by the donee either in its original form or in such a
form that it could be traced, and did not extend to a conveyance or
transfer of property which could not be traced as, for instance, where
there was a gift of money to be emploved ina business or in the
purchase of a business and the money was so employed or spent, the
business itself not being settled. In Re Tankard Ex Parte: Official
Receiver (1899) 2 0.8. 57 Wright J. said at p. 59 when referring to
the cases of Re Player and Re Vansittart: "the retention of the
property in some sense must according to those cases be contemplated
and not its immediate alienation or consumption", see also Williams v.
Lioyd (supra) per Dixon J. at p. 375.
In my opinion for there to be a "settlement of property"
within the meaning of s.120 there must be a _ settlement in the
ordinary sense of the word, a transaction in the nature of a
settlement, though it may be effected by any disposition. The
retention of the property in some sense must be contemplated and not
its immediate dispersion.
The transaction impuqned by the respondent was not merely the
payment of $170,000 by the bankrupt to the appellant. It was a
loan of money upon specific terms that included the repavment of an
equivalent sum upon the expiration of 20 years. That is itself
14.
sufficient to satisfy the requirement that the property be retained in
some sense and not immediately dissipated or consumed. But the
transaction went further than that. The exchange of cheques by the
appellant, the bankrupt, Cordec and Inexco, the contract of sale and
memorandum of transfer of the house and, the deed of loan and the
documents relating to the sale of the shares were all part of the one
transaction which necesarily required that the money advanced by the
bankrupt to the appellant be used forthwith for the purpose of buving
the house and the shares. This seems to me to plainly satisfv the
definition of a "settlement of property" for the purposes of s. 120.
I see no difference for present purposes between the
disposition of something other than money and the disposition of money.
to buy something. The same view was expressed by Vaughan Williams J.
in Re Vansittart (supra) at p. 184 and by Stamp J. in Re Adelter Ex
Parte The Official Receiver v. Morrison 1965 1 W.L.R. 1498 at p. 1505.
I turn to the next question, whether the appellant aave
"valuable consideration" for the payment to him of $170,000.
Paragraph 120(1)(a) talks relevantlv for present purposes of
a settlement made in favour of a purchaser in good faith and for
valuable consideration. I have difficultv considering the words "a
purchaser... for valuable consideration" as if they represent two
separate and independent notions. It is true that some of the decided
cases discuss first one expression and then the other; but so far as I
can see this was done for reasons of convenient analysis. The phrase
15.
has perhaps two elements but it does not consist of two separate
notions. The words have been much discussed in the cases, and there
is some conflict about their meaning. I do not find it necessary to
define the conflict; it is sufficient to refer to the discussion in Re
Windle (1975) 1W5W.L.R. 1628 per Goff J. at pp. 1637-1639; and in Re
Abbott (1982) 3 W.L.R. 86 per Peter Gibson J. at p. 90. Some of the
cases state that the phrase connotes a person who provides a quid pro
quo. I do not find the reference to the latin expression helpful. It
means, so far as my researches reveal, something for something, and
originally meant that one substance or drug in medical prescriptions
was substituted for another: see for example, the Shorter Oxford
Dictionary and Weekley's Etymological Dictionary of Modern English.
It says nothing about whether the consideration aiven by the purchaser
must be equal in value to the consideration given by the debtor. or
whether the consideration must be substantial or whether merelv
nominal, notional or trivial consideration will suffice.
In my opinion s. 120 is intended to prevent the property of a
person from being put into the hands of his relatives or friends to
the disadvantage of his creditors, and must be considered in a
commercial sense; in Re Pumfrey., Ex Parte: Hillman (1879) 10 Ch.D.
622: in Re A. Debtor Ex Parte: The Official Receiver v. Morrison
(1965) 1W.L.R. 1498 at p. 1505; in Re_Densham Ex Parte The Trustee of
the Property of the Bankrupt v. The Bankrupt (1975) 1W.L.R. 1519 at
p. 1527; and in Re Windle (supra) at p. 1637.
16.
To constitute a purchaser for valuable consideration it is
not necessary that either money or physical property should be given:
in Re Charters Ex Parte: Trustee (1923) 3 B. & C. R. 94: Dbuta
nominal, trivial, colourable or fictitious consideration will not
suffice: in Re_ Abbott (supra). Nor is it necessary that the
consideration moving from the purchaser must be equal to that which
has been taken out of the debtor's estate and in that sense replaces
it: Re Densham, Re _ Windle and Re Abbott. The expression does not
connote a purchaser in the strict sense of a contract for purchase and
sale. It is not a conveyancing term. The phrase connotes a purchaser
in the ordinary commercial sense who gives consideration which is real
and substantial: Re Abbott.
When applying this test to the present case it is important
to remember that the relevant transaction between the bankrupt and the
appellant is not merely the deed of loan. All the relevant
circumstances (I mentioned them earlier) must be examined. The loan
of $170,000 was part of an exchange of cheques between the bankrupt,
the appellant and the two companies - Cordec and Inexco. All relevant
events occurred on 14 and 16 April 1973 - for all practical purposes
simultaneously. The primary object of all persons relevantlv
concerned in the events of those two days was to place the house and
the shares in the name of the appellant so that he and his wife could
live in the house, care for the two elderly women and help to maintain
them using income from the shares or from the sale of the shares and
reinvestment of the proceeds. But on the advice of senior counsel the
assets could not be merely given to the appellant for this purpose.
17.
It was not argued that the sale of the house for $120,000 or of the
shares for $50,000 was at an undervalue. Nor was it suggested by the
respondent that the impugned transaction was a sham (that "popular and
pejorative word": per Diplock L.J. in Snook v. London & West Riding
Investments Ltd. (1967) 2 9.B. 786 at p. 802), although I must say
that it strikes me as having many of the attributes of a sham. I
proceed, however, on the basis that there was no sham. Plainly the
transaction was structured as a sale of the house and shares supported
by a loan from the bankrupt to the appeliant so that it would be
clothed in commercial garb. The directly relevant transaction for
present purposes was the loan of $170,000 by the bankrupt to the
appellant on the terms of the deed of loan. But it was not a loan
free of conditions. The appellant was bound to applv the $170,000 for.
the purpose of buying the house and the shares. The exchange of
cheques, amonast other things, necessarily ensured this. What did the
appellant receive? He obtained $170,000 with which he acquired a
house at Castlecrag and shares in a company which it was thought by
all persons concerned would increase in value. The $170,000
represented the total purchase price and the two assets acquired were
unencumbered. In return, the appellant promised to repay the sum of
$170,000 in 20 years time, when, if he survives, he will be 82 years
of age. Interest was payable only upon the expiration of each five
year period of the loan and then at a rate of interest which, even at
the date of the loan, was well below commercial rates. The effect of
the ravages of inflation needs no comment. There was no acceleration
clause, either as to principal or interest. This was the
consideration which moved to the bankrupt in return for his loan of
%e %™N
oe)
18.
$170,000. The appellant was bound to care for the two elderly ladies,
but this was an unquantified obligation. Nor was it suggested that
other members of the Barton family would not continue to support them.
All persons in the transaction were relatives or their corporate
puppets. The principal actors were uncle and nephew. The director
and producer of the production was Mr. Alexander Barton. In my opinion
the appellant was not a purchaser in a commercial sense who aqave real
and substantial consideration for what he received.
Save for one matter, the appeal should be dismissed. The
appellant arqued that the order of the trial Judge that the appellant
pay to the respondent the sum of $170,000 should be set aside on the
ground that there was no evidence that such a sum was necessary to
discharge the claims of proved creditors in the bankrupt's estate and
the costs and expenses of administration including the respondent's
remuneration as trustee. A settlement of property within s. 120 is
void as against the trustee in the bankruptcy. An order for repayment
of money the subject of the settlement is within the court's power.
Indeed, the contrary was not suggested. But an order of this kind is
essentially administrative in character. The particular bankruptcy
involved in the dispute before the Court may be recent or of long
standing. The financial position of the estate may not be known at
the time an application is made to the Court to declare void a
settlement of property. There is no clear picture before the Court in
this case of the current position of the estate of the bankrupt. The
trial Judge rightly declared the settlement to be void, but I think it
preferable that leave be reserved to the respondent to apply to the
19.
trial Judge to determine the appropriate order to aqive effect to the
declaration that the settlement is void. This mav be an order for
payment of the sum of $170.000 or some other sum. It was not arqued
before us that the trial Judae should engage in the task of tracing
the monies advanced bv the bankrupt to the appellant for the purpose
of this later determination. so I shall sav nothing about it.
I would reserve leave to the respondent to applv to the trial
Judae for an appropriate order as to pavment. but otherwise dismiss
the appeal. The appellant must pav the respondent's costs of the
appeal.
| certify that this and the ix
preceding pages are a true copy of the
Reasons for Judgment herein of his Honour
Mr Justice Locknart
Cn
csstiate
Dated. .2 (Lovectir, 134