Clutha v Millar (No.3) [2002] NSWSC 642

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Clutha v Millar (No.3) [2002] NSWSC 642 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Equity FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 4834/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 25 June, 17 July 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 24 July 2002

Clutha Ltd (in liq) (P) Frederick William Millar (D1) John McClelland Armstrong (D2) Denis John Frew (D3) John Knox Doherty (D4) PARTIES : Charles Ronald Longworth (D5) Donald George Thomas (D6) Ernest Neil Scott (D7) Hiroshi Yoshikawa (D8) Hirosuke Yamamoto (D9) Nichimen Corporation (D10) Nichimen Australia Ltd (D11) JUDGMENT OF : Austin J

Mr G Seib (P) COUNSEL : Mr G Lucarelli (D1 to D7) Mr J Marshall (D10 & D11) Piper Alderman (P) SOLICITORS : Minter Ellison (D1 to D7) Clayton Utz (D10 & D11) CATCHWORDS : PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - pleading - limitation of action - whether pleading in negligence of failure over time to discharge continuing duty of care gives rise to a single cause of action beginning when measurable damage is first suffered, so that if that time is outside the limitation period, the claim is statute-barred - or, in the alternative, whether the pleading gives rise to multiple causes of action, some not statute-barred if part of the period of failure to discharge the duty is within the limitation period LEGISLATION CITED : Limitations Act 1969 (NSW) s 14 Argyropoulos v Layton [2002] NSWCA 183 Astley v Austrust Ltd (1999) 197 CLR 1 Autodesk v Dyason (No 2) (1992) 111 ALR 385 Cartledge v Jopling & Sons Ltd [1963] AC 758 Clutha Ltd (in liq) v Millar (No 2) [2002] NSWSC 523 Clutha Ltd (in liq) v Millar [2002] NSWSC 362 CASES CITED : Hawkins v Clayton (1986) 5 NSWLR 109 Hawkins v Clayton (1987) 164 CLR 539 Howell v Young (1826) 5 B & C 259 Larking v Great Western (Nepean) Gravel Ltd (1940) 64 CLR 221 Scarcella v Lettice (2000) 51 NSWLR 302 Sheldon v McBeath (1993) Aust Torts Reports para 81-209 Wardley Australia Ltd v Western Australia (1992) 175 CLR 514 Wilson v Rigg [2000] NSWSC 16 DECISION : Proceeding to be dismissed against first to seventh defendants