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IN THE HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA.
" GARATTI AND ANOTHER
56) LIMETED
iB (19
'REASONS FOR JUBEMENT
Oral
Judgment delivered at..
on..Eriday.11th September197
CARATTI AND ANOTHER
ve
CABLE (4996) LIUT?D
Application for special leave refused with costs.
CARATTI. AND ANOTHER
CABLE (1956) LIMITED
JUDGMENT BARWICK C.J.
(ORAL)
CARATTI AND ANOTHER
Ve
CABLE (1956) LIMITED
In my opinion, this is not a case in which we
should grant special leave. The case concerns the answer
to an interrogatory by which the plaintiff seeks to obtain
an admission by the defendant of the making and the terms
of the oral agreement on which the plaintiff sues.
As I understand the matter as it presently stands,
the express objection taken by the defendant to the making
of the answer is as to the relevance of the question and
answer. It was not expressly submitted that the insistence
on a written answer would be oppressive or that the making
of the answer would itself be oppressive. But we have
been informed that both before the primary judge and before
the Full Court it was contended that as the answer to the
interrogatory could provide a memorandum sufficient to
satisfy the Statute of Frauds in another proceeding, the
order should not be made that the defendant answered the
interrogatory.
In so far as the objection is merely as to the
relevance or as was stated by counsel the materiality of
the interrogatory and answer there is, in my opinion, no
reason to doubt the Full Court's decision. The making of
an oral agreement is in issue and the plaintiff must prove
it. Thaterrogatoryory and the answer are clearly relevant
to that issue.
In so far as the objection, although not expressly
made in those terms, is that the insistence on a written
answer was of necessity oppressive, in my opinion the suggestion
that the plaintiff might use the answer to the interrogatory
in the fashion suggested does not establish the objection,
But of course it may be shown that ability to use the written
answer in another suit might result in the present suit being
discontinued. That use of the written answer might be
oppressive.
In so far as this possibility exists the Supreme
Court, in my opinion, would appear to be in a position to
control the suit. We have been referred to the Rules of
the Supreme Court and so far as I understand them it would
appear to me that this suit has reached the stage where it
cannot be discontinued without the leave of the Court or a
judge thereof. That being so, it seems to me that by
refusing leave to discontinue, either conditionally or
unconditionally, the Supreme Court is able if it thinks fit
to take that course to ensure that an oppressive use is not
made of the written answer to the interrogatory.
In those circumstances, in my opinion, the
application for special leave ought to be refused.
CARATTI AND ANOTHER
Ve
CABLE (1956) LIMITED
JUDGMENT MENZIES J.
(ORAL ) ,
CARATTI AND ANOTHER
Ve
CABLE (1956) LIMITED
I agree.
CARATTI AND ANOTHER
ve
CABLE (1956) LIMITED
JUDGMENT WINDEYER_J.
CORAL)
CARATTI AND ANOTHER
Ve
CABLE (1956) LIMITED
I agree.
CARATTI AND ANOTHER
Ve
CABLE (1956) LIMITED
JUDGMENT WALSH J.
(Oral) :
CARATTI. AND ANO
Ve
CABLE (1956) LIMITED
I agree.
CARATTI. AND ANOTHER
Ve
CABLE (1956) LIMITED
TBB,
ds
TED
GABLE (1956) Liu
I agree.