Alpine Hardwood (Aust) Pty Ltd v Hardys Pty Ltd [2001] FCA 1876

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Alpine Hardwood (Aust) Pty Ltd v Hardys Pty Ltd [2001] FCA 1876

CONTRACT- formation – offer and acceptance – three page offer sent by facsimile – whether offer to purchase entire stock of hardwood timber – third page mislaid and never read – whether constituted offer "actually received" – purported acceptance of what was understood to be offer of a different kind – whether consensus ad idem reached – whether parties manifested intention to be bound – whether contract uncertain or incomplete – whether void for mutual mistake. TRADE PRACTICES – misleading or deceptive conduct – representations as to rate of supply and grades of timber to be achieved – whether mere estimates or opinions and known by applicants to be such – future matters – whether reasonable grounds for holding opinions demonstrated. Trade Practices Act 1975 (Cth) ss 52, 53, 55A and 75B Marks v GIO Australia Holdings (1998) 196 CLR 494 referred to Henthorn v Fraser [1892] 2 Ch 27 at 37 referred to R v Clarke (1927) 40 CLR 227 at 241 and 244 referred to Branir Pty Ltd v Owston Nominees (No 2) Pty Ltd [2001] FCA 1833 at pars [205]-[212] referred to Raffles v Wichelhaus (1864) 2 H & C 906; 159 ER 375 considered Scriven Bros & Co v Hindley & Co [1913] 3 KB 564 considered W & J Sharp v Thomson (1915) 20 CLR 137 at 141-142 considered Smith v Hughes (1871) LR 6 QB 597 referred to Taylor v Johnson (1983) 151 CLR 422 at 429-430 considered Bell v Lever Bros [1932] AC 161 at 217-227 referred to Solle v Butcher [1950] 1 KB 671 at 691 referred to Toyota Motor Corp v Ken Morgan Motors [1994] 2 VR 106 at 130 and 131 applied Clifton v Palumbo [1944] 2 All ER 497 at 499 applied Global Sportsman Pty Ltd v Mirror Newspapers Ltd (1984) 2 FCR 82 applied Allstate Life Insurance Co v ANZ Banking Group Ltd (1995) 58 FCR 26 referred to Short v City Bank (1912) 12 SR(NSW) 186 at 202-203 applied Yorke v Lucas (1985) 158 CLR 661 at 666-669 applied Carter and Harland, Contract Law in Australia, (3rd ed., 1996) at 21, 38 and 38 Halsbury's Laws of Australia, par 110-5390