MISTRAL INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD (Formerly known as Ringgrip Pty Ltd) v POLSTEAD PTY LTD [2002] NSWCA 321

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : MISTRAL INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD (Formerly known as Ringgrip Pty Ltd) v POLSTEAD PTY LTD [2002] NSWCA 321 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 41031/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 26 August 2002, 27 August 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 21 October 2002

PARTIES : Mistral International Pty Ltd - Appellant Polstead Pty Ltd - Respondent JUDGMENT OF : Meagher JA at 1; Sheller JA at 2; Beazley JA at 124

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT 5527/98 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Naughton DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : J T Gleeson SC/S J Stanton - Appellant D Cassidy QC/C K Stewart/N Potts - Respondent SOLICITORS : Aitken McLachlan & Thorpe - Appellant Dominic David Stamfords - Respondent CATCHWORDS : SALE OF GOODS - merchantable quality - rejection of expert evidence - insufficient reasons given for rejection of evidence - apprehension of bias - new trial ordered LEGISLATION CITED : Sale of Goods Act 1923 Suitors' Fund Act 1951 Moylan v Nutrasweet Company [2000] NSWCA 337 Australian Knitting Mills Limited & Anor v Grant (1933) 50 CLR 387 Grant v Australian Knitting Mills Limited [1936] AC 85 CASES CITED: George Wills & Co Limited v Davids Pty Ltd (1957) 98 CLR 77 Lawry v West (1947) 73 CLR 289 Johnson v Johnson (2000) 201 CLR 488 Vakauta v Kelly (1989) 167 CLR 568 DECISION : 1. Appeal allowed; 2. Set aside the judgment and orders made by Judge Naughton on 14 December 2000; 3. Direct a new trial before a Judge of the District Court other than Judge Naughton; 4. The costs of the first trial to be in the discretion of the Judge hearing the new trial; 5. The respondent to pay the appellant's costs of this appeal.