WILLIAMS v STATE TRANSIT AUTHORITY OF NSW & ORS [2004] NSWCA 179

Reported Decision : 60 NSWLR 286

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : WILLIAMS v STATE TRANSIT AUTHORITY OF NSW & ORS [2004] NSWCA 179 HEARING DATE(S) : 12, 13, 16 February 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 11 June 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Sheller JA at 149; Tobias JA at 150 DECISION : Appeal dismissed with costs. Cross appeals upheld.

CATCHWORDS : REAL PROPERTY - Doctrine of lost modern grant - rights of way - easements by prescription - acquiescence - onus - whether doctrine of lost modern grant extends to the Torrens system - Conveyancing Act 1919, s178 - whether "grant of a way" a public right of way only - CONTRACT - implied terms - Fair Trading Act 1987 - whether misrepresentations misleading or deceptive - whether State Transit Authority relevantly the Crown (D) Australian Jockey Club Act 1873, s4 Conveyancing Act 1919 ss88, 178 Crown Lands Alienation Act 1861 LEGISLATION CITED : Interpretation Act 1987, s33 Local Government Act 1919, s4 Real Property Act 1886 (SA) Real Property Act 1900 ss46-47 Anthony v The Commonwealth (1973) 47 ALJR 83 Australian Hi-Fi Publications Pty Ltd v Gehl [1979] 2 NSWLR 618 Bahr v Nicolay (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 604 Bakewell Management Ltd v Brandwood & Ors [2004] 2 WLR 955 Barry v Heider (1914) 19 CLR 197 Berger Bros Trading Co Pty Ltd v Bursill Enterprises Pty Ltd [1970] 1 NSWR 137 Chief Commissioner of State Revenue v Darling Harbour Authority (2000) 114 LGERA 97 Clarke v Earl of Dunraven [1897] AC 59 Connellan Nominees Pty Ltd v Camerer [1988] 2 Qd R 248 Corin v Patton (1990) 169 CLR 540 Dabbs v Seaman (1925) 36 CLR 538 Davis v Whitby [1974] 1 Ch 186 Delohery v Permanent Trustee Co of New South Wales (1904) 1 CLR 283 Dewhirst v Edwards [1983] 1 NSWLR 34 Dobbie v Davidson (1991) 23 NSWLR 625 Galibal Pty Ltd v Chief Commissioner of Land Tax (1994) 96 ATC 4143 Gangemi v Watson (1994) 11 WAR 505 Gardner v Hodgson's Kingston Brewery Co Ltd [1903] AC 229 Golding v Tanner (1991) 56 SASR 482 Hamilton v Joyce [1984] 3 NSWLR 279 Hollins v Verney (1884) 13 QBD 304 James v The Registrar-General (1967) 69 SR(NSW) 361 CASES CITED : Jobson v Nankervis (1943) 44 SR(NSW) 277 Jones v Price and Morgan (1992) 64 P & CR 404 Kostis v Devitt (1979) 1 BPR 9231 Mackenzie v Waimumu Queen Gold-Dredging Co Ltd (1901) 21 NZLR 231 Maurice Toltz Pty Ltd v Macy's Emporium Pty Ltd [1970] 1 NSWR 474 Mills v Silver [1991] Ch 271 Milne v James (1910) 13 CLR 168 Neaverson v Peterborough RDC [1902] 1 Ch 557 Nelson v Hughes [1947] VLR 227 Parish v Kelly (1980) 1 BPR 9394 Pekel v Humich (1999) 21 WAR 24 R (Beresford) v Sunderland City Council [2004] 1 AC 889 R v Oxfordshire County Council, Ex parte Sunningwell Parish Council [2000] 1 AC 335 Raguz v Sullivan (2000) 50 NSWLR 236. Scott v Davis (2000) 204 CLR 333 State Transit Authority of NSW v Australian Jockey Club [2003] NSWSC 726 Tarrant v Zandstra (1973) 1 BPR 9381 Thomas W Ward Ltd v Alexander Bruce (Grays) Ltd [1959] 2 Lloyd's Rep 472 Thwaites v Brahe (1895) 21 VLR 192 Turner v Walsh (1881) LR 6 App Cas 636. Union Lighterage Co v London Graving Dock Co [1902] 2 Ch 557 Wheeldon v Burrows (1879) 12 Ch D 31 Wynyard Investments Pty Ltd v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1955) 93 CLR 376 PARTIES : Treve WILLIAMS v STATE TRANSIT AUTHORITY OF NSW & ORS FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40679/03 Appellant: J R Sackar QC/ R G McHugh COUNSEL : 1st Respondent: B A Coles QC/ L J Aitken 2nd Respondent: S Finch SC/ I M Khan Appellant: Mallesons Stephen Jaques SOLICITORS : 1st Respondent: Abbott Tout 2nd Respondent: Allens Arthur Robinson