Rumpe, P. & Ors v. Camrol Pty Ltd & Ors [1985] FCA 5

Federal Court of Australia|1985-01-24|Before: Morling J

CATCHWORDS Trade Practices - sale of business - opening hcours - misrepresentation - whether relied on at point of

MARK WINTERS, Second Respondent, CENISE ERICA WINTERS

NEW SOUTH WALES DISTRICT REGISTRY No. G 331 of 1983

BETWEEN : PETER RKUMFE, CHRISSY RUMPE, JOHN KODERICH and FAYE KCDERICH

First Respondent AND: MARK WINTERS Second Respondent

ORDER JUDGE MAKING ORDER : Morling J. DATE OF ORDER : 24 January 1985 WHERE MADE : Sydney

NEW SOUTH WALES DISTRICT REGISTRY No. G 3391 of 1963

BETWEEN : FETER RUMPE, CHRISSY RUMPE, JOHN KODERICH and FAYE KODERTCH

On 2 September 1983 the applicants entered into an agreement with the first respondent for the management of a restaurant at 24 Bay Street, Double Bay. The second and third respondents are directors of the first respondent. Pursuant to the agreement the applicants were given the right to manage the restaurant for a pericd of three years. As consideration for the grant of this right the applicants agreed to pay the first respondent $20,000. The agreement gave them the ridht to

The adreement was expressed to be subfect to ard conditional upon approval by the Metropolitan Licensing Court to "the transfer of the on-license (restaurant) in réspect of the licensed premises to Peter Rumpe ...". or the agranting of

a new on-license to Peter Rumpe or one of the other applicants.

The applicants first became interested in the restaurant as the result of an advertisement which Mr Winters arranged to be inserted ina newspaper. The advertisement was

"RESTAURANT. Double Bay. 3 a.m. licence. Fully equipped kitchen and bar, Suitable for restaurant and discotheque, 120 seats. Only expertenced operators need apply. $20,000 fully refundable plus rent. For inspection. 267.0832 ask for

The reference to "Mark" was a reference to Mr Winters.

initially spoke to Mr Winters over the telephone. According to Mr Rumpe he asked Mr Winters whether the restaurant had a "3

o'clock license" and Winters replied: "Yes, at had a 3 o'clock

license." Rumpe said that later the sare day he went to the

premi3zes in Bay Street and spoke to Mrs Winters and that after inspecting the premises and enquiring what equipment was available he asked whether the restaurant had a3 o'clock liquor license. He claimed that Mrs Winters said that it did

The applicants also allege that at various times prior to the signing of the agreement a similar representation as to the hour to which the restaurant premises were licensed to sell liquor was made to the other applicants. Mr Rumpe said that during the evening of the day when he and his wife spoke with Mrs Winters at the premises another conversation was held with Mrs Winters. According to Mr Rumpe. his wife asked Mrs Winters whether the restaurant had a 3 o'clock license and she replied that it did. Although Mrs Rumpe corroborated her husband's account of the conversation which had occurred with Mrs Winters during the day, she said there was no discussion about the

Both Mr Rumpe and Mr Koderich claimed that they went to the Bay Street premises on another occasion, probably 29 August 1983, and had a conversation with Mr Winters. They both claimed that Mr Koderich asked Mr Winters whether the premises were licensed until 3 o'clock, and that Mr Winters said that they were s0 licensed. Mrs Koderich claimed that she herself was present at the premises late in the afternoon of 29 August

when Mr Winters, Peter Rumpe and her husband were also present.

She said that she asked Mr Winters whether the premises definitely had a3a.m. license, and that he replied that they did have such a license. There was yet another occasion when,

according to Mr Rumpe. Mr Winters represented that the premises

were licensed until 3 a.m. This was an occasion (to which 1 shall make fuller reference later in these reasons) when Mr Kkumpe's solicitor spoke to him on the telephone. According to Mr Rumpe, after he had paid a $500 holding deposit to Mr Winters, he had a conversation with him at his office. Whilst Mr Winters was in his office Mr Rumpe's solicitor, Mr Worrall, rang. After speaking to Mr Worrall he then spoke to Mr Winters and again asked him whether the premises had a3 o'clock license. According to Mr Rumpe, Mr Winters again said that the

The applicants allege that they relied on the statement that the restaurant was licensed until 3 a.m. when

they entered into the management agreement. They further

alleged that they would not have entered into the agreement had they known, as was the fact, that the restaurant was not licensed until 3 a.m. but only until midnight. Accordingly, they bring these proceedings against the respondents seekiny

damages for breach of 3.52 of the Trade Practices Act 1974,

fraud and breach of warranty. It has been agreed between the parties that I should first determine the question of liability and accordingly that is the only issue that presently arises

The respondents admit that the statement in the newo- paper advertisement that the restaurant premises were licensed until 3 a.m. was incorrect. However, they deny that the alleged cral representations were made. Mr Winters said tnat when he acquired the restaurant from the previous owner he was told that it was licensed to trade until 3 o'clock. He said that he believed what he was told. but did not take any steps to verify the information. He said that, to his knowledge, the restaurant had in fact traded until 3 a.m. in former years. Mr Koderich confirmed that this was 30. He said that he had known the premises before he became interested in entering into the management agreement. He said that it used to hbe called The Box Office Restaurant, and that "it was a 3 a.m. licensed premises". He said that he had visited the restaurant when 1t was trading "well after midnight". Mrs Koderich said that her husband told her that he was aware that The Box Office Restaurant traded until 3 o'clock. She also said that before she siqned the management agreement she spoke to a lot of her friends and that they, in effect, had assured her that The Box

Whilst not denying that he had a number of convers- ations with one or more of the applicants prior to the signing of the agreement, Mr Winters denied that he ever stated that the restaurant was licensed until 3 a.m. He denied that there

was anything said about hours over the telephone when he had

his first conversation with Mr Rumps. He agreed that when he

zaw Mr kumpe at the restaurant the question of hours was discussed. According to him. Mr Rumpe asked him whether the restaurant was licensed until 3 a.m. and he replied: "T thank it igs licensed until 3 a.m. because when I bought the premises it was advertised until 3a.m., but I think you should make your own enquiries." According to Winters. he also told Rumpe that he should have a talk to the licensing police in charge of the Double Bay area. He said he gave Rumpe the name of Sgt. McKellar because "he was the person responsible for _ the restaurant." He also said that, subsequently, Rumpe told him that he had indeed spoken to the sergeant. He also said that during the conversation at the office of Mr Worrall. the applicants' solicitor, the question of hours was again raised. He said that Mr Worrall asked him whether the premises were licensed until 3 a.m. and that he replied that he thought they were licensed until 3 a.m., "but you had better check up with the Licensing Police and also my solicitor has a copy of the

There is no doubt that a conversation at which Mr Winters was present did take place in Mr Worrall's office, and that during the course of that conversation Mr Worrall did ring Mr Best, who was acting for the respondent. There is also no doubt that Mr Worrall raised with Mr Best the very matter which Mr Winters says was raised. i.e. obtaining a copy of the

In substance, Mr Winters said that he did not tell anv of the applicants that the premises were licensed until 3 a.m., although he agreed that he did say that he thought they were licensed until 3 a.m. Although he was uncertain as to some details of the conversations which took place prior to the signing of the agreement, he was positive that he advised Mr Rumpe to make his own enquiries about the hours during which the restaurant could sell liquor. He was equally positive that at no stage did he make a firm oral statement that the premises were licensed until 3 a.m. He was uncertain as to exactly what conversation had passed between him and Mr and Mrs Koderich, but he was positive that Mrs Koderich did not raise

the question of hours with him. He also said that if Mr Koderich had raised the question of hours with him. he would

have given him the same answer as he gave Mr Rumpe.

Mrs Winters denied that she had had any discussion with Mr Rumpe about trading hours. She denied that either Mr or Mrs Rumpe raised the question of trading hours when she saw them at the Bay Street premises. She said that she took no

part in the negotiations leading up to the agreement.

I have not attempted to refer in complete detail to the conversations which the applicants allege took place with either Mr or Mrs Winter prior to the sianing of the agreement. However, it is necessary to refer in some little detail to two

other conversations. The first of these took place between

Mr Rumpe and Sgt. McKellar. The second was the conversation (to which I have already referred) over the telephone between Mr Worrall and Mr Rumpe at a time when Mr Winters was in Mr

On 1 September. i.e. the day before the agreement was signed. Mr Rumpe had a discussion with Sqt McKellar. Mr

"MR FORSTER: And you inquired of him, did you, whether or not this place had a 3 a.m. licence?---That 18 correct, yes.

I see. And did he tell you that it did not have a 3 o'clock licence?---No, he did not.

MR FORSTER: And that was the dav before you siqned the agreement?---That is correct. yes.

So you made inquiries of Sergeant McKellar; why did you make inquiries of Sergeant McKellar?--- .. . I just wanted to satisfy my own mind, your Honour, that I am doing the right things by opening the doors to the public till 3 o'clock in the morning.

HIS HONOUR: Mr Rumpe, can you tell me again just what - as far as you can recall Mr Rumpe - what you said to the sergeant and what he said to you on that occasion?---I spoke to Sergeant McKellar and asked him, has this place qot this 3 o'clock licence; he said he could not tell

me there is some extension going through - there is something in progress.

Yes, and what did you say to that?---I did not say anything."

Later in his evidence he was asked what he understood from Sat McKellar's statement that something was "going through". His

'HIS HONGUR: But he also said, 1 think you said, that he thought there was something going through?---Yes, something in progress, yes.

Well, did you ask him what he meant by tnat?---No, I did not, your Honour.

Did not that indicate to vou that at least there was a chance that there was something going through about a 3) am licence?---No, your Honour, after he said he does not know, there is something in progress and the restaurant has changed hands quite afew times, so every time it changes hands the licence has to be renewed.

Yes, but your conversation with him was about trading hours, was not it?---Yes, that 1s corect, yes.

And it was in relation to trading hours that he used

some such expression as that - there was something going through?---Yes, that is correct.

that there was something going through or might be going through about the hours. Is not that right?---Yes, that could be, yes your Honour.

Well, that could have meant that either the licence finished at 12 and there was something going through to a later hour, or that 1t was licensed t111 3 and something was going through to make it an earlier hour, would not it?---Yes, it could have been, yes. Except that he does not know, actually his real words were - he does not know, just do not worry, there is something going through, because I had met Sergeant McKellar due to my experience in working at the Boulevarde Hotel."

According to Sqt McKellar, he was well aware that the restaurant was not licensed until 3 a.n. Sgt McKellar had no clear recollection of the details of his conversation with Mr Rumpe. However, he was positive that 1f he had been asked by Mr Rumpe about the permissible trading hours, he would not have said that he did not' know. His evidence included the

"MR FORSTER: Did you on that occasion say to hin (1.e@. Mr Rumpe) words to the effect that you did not know what the trading hours of that restaurant were but that there was something going through?---I would not say I did net know the trading hours. I may have said there 15 an application pending but I would not say I did not know, because I ao. and I did know."

In other evidence, the sergeant specifically disagreed with Mr Rumpe's evidence that he said he did not know whether the restaurant was licensed until 3 a.m. He also aave the following evidence:

"MR PARSONS: So somebody in Mr Rumpe's position seeking your advice or information from you as to where the licence stood, it would not be unreasonable for you in those circumstances to say that you could not state with certainty where the licence stood?

THE WITNESS: I would state with certainty where the

or a 2 o'clock it cannot be half and half. If he asked me I would say, 'It has gota 12 o'clock close', if he asked me direct, or, 'It has got a 2 am close'."

According to Mr Rumpe, he did not tell any of his partners or his solicitor about his conversation with Sat McKellar, and this notwithstanding the repeated assertions by him and his co-applicants in the course of their evidence that the right to trade until 3 a.m. was of great importance to them and that they would not have entered into the agreement but for the assurance from the respondents that the restaurant could trade until that hour. Mr Koderich confirmed that Mr Rumpe did

not tell him of his conversation with the sergeant. He said

that 1f he had been told of it he would not have siened tae

The second conversation to which reference must be made in detail is that between Mr Rumpe and his solicitcr, Mr Worrall. Prior to this conversation Mr Worrall had spoken on the telephone to Mr Winter's solicitor, Mr Best, and asked him whether he had a copy of the restaurant licence. Mr Best said he did. and sent a copy of it to Mr Worrall. Upon receipt of the licence Mr Worrall telephoned the Licensing Court and spoke to an officer of the Court. He said that he asked the officer: "What trading hours would be applicable to the licence endorsed

+, aS the copy I had was endorsed, asa restaurant." Mr Worrall said: "The person told me that normal restaurant trading hours are 12 till 12, that 1s 12 midday till 12

midnight on Monday to Saturday and 12 until 10 on Sunday."

officer of the Licensing Court Mr Worrall telephoned Mr Rumpe.

"MR PARSONS: I think at some time during that week you telephoned Mr Rumpe at his car yard business?---Yes, that is right.

Do you recall having a conversation with Mr Rumpe by telephone during that week?---Yes.

Do you rememrer specifically anv conversation with Mr Rumpe by telephone, he beina at his car vard, when you discussed with him hours during which it appeared to you the business miaht be allowed to trade?---Yes.

THE WITNESS: I aaid to him, 'I have made inquiries of the Liquor Licensing Reqistry in respect of the licence I hold and I am told that a permit

endorsed 'restaurant' nas trading hours from 12.00 to midnight Monday to Saturday and 12.00 to 10.00 on Sunday'. And he said, 'Are you

sure about that'. or something. I said 'Yes. The agreement provides for that and it 15 ready to be signed.'

He said, 'Mr Winters has told me it 1s a 3.00 o'clock licence', I said, 'Are you content to

it is a 3.00 o'clock licence, Just a moment, he is here' - words to that effect - 'justa moment he is here, I will check with him'. And Mr Rumpe I presume, turned away from the phene and there was a sound of conversation.

MR PARSONS: Could you make out what that conversation was?---No, I cannot recall.

And did Mr Rumpe after those sounds of conversation come back onto the line and speak to you?---Yes,.

What did he say?---He said, 'He tells me it asa 3.00 o'clock licence. I will come in to collect the agreement'.

And did Mr Rumpe come in to collect the agqree- ment?---Yes, he did."

Mr Worrall agreed that Mr Rumpe did not ask him to include in the agreement any warranty as to the hours during which the restaurant was licensed under the Liquor Act. I have

already referred to Mr Rumpe's version of his conversation with Mr Winters on this occasion, and to Mr Winters' denial that he

told Rumpe that the restaurant was licensed until 3 a.m.

After the aaqreement was signed on 2nd September the applicants were given immediate possession of the premises.

They commenced trading either the same or tne following day and

continued to trade until 18 September. Whilst the fsremisés were trading after midnight on that day. the licensing rolice called at the premises and apparently complained to the applicants, or some of them, that they were trading 1n breach of their license in that they were not permitted to trade after midnight and that they were obliged to provide food as well as drink to patrons, which they were allegedly failina to do. The applicants immediately closed down the business, and it did not thereafter trade. On the following morning Mr Rumpe rang Mr Wanters. He said in evidence that he accused Winters of

having told him lies about the licensed trading hours, but

It seems that the decision to close down the business wa3 made even before any inquiry was made of the licensing police as to whether the trading hours could be extended, or as to whether any application was pending for their extension. Mr

Rumpe said that ait did not occur to him to check with the

Licensing Court to see aif anything was "going through". He said he was "Just too upset." I find this evidence most unconvincing.

Whilst I do not think that Mr Winters' recollection of all the conversations that took place prior to and after the

siqning of the agreement was completely accurate, I accept his evidence in preference to that of the applicants. He mav well

have been mistaken about some parts of the conversation he had

with Mr Worrall. But I am satisfied that whenever he discussed the question of hours he stated that, althcugh ne believed the premises were licensed until 3 a.m., the

I think it was because that Mr Winters told Mr Rumpe to make his own enquiries that Mr Rumpe spoke to Sqt McKellar. I do not accept that at the time of the siaqning of the agreements the applicants were still relying on the statement made in the advertisement that the premises were licensed until 3 a.m. I think Mr Rumpe's prime purpose in speaking to Sgt McKellar was to ascertain what were the hours during which the restaurant was licensed to sell liquor. On his own account of his conversation with the sergeant. Mr Rumpe said that he was told that something was "going through" in relation to the licensed hours. I accept Sat. McKellar's evidence that he was well aware that the premises were licensed only until midnight, and that he did not tell Mr Rumpe that he did not know what the licensed hours were. I think it is legitimate to infer that after his conversation with Sqt. McKellar, Mr Rumpe knew that the premises were not licensed until 3 a.m. At the very least, having been advised by Mr Winters to rely upon his own enquiries and having made enquiries of the serdeant, Mr Ruripe must have been aware that he could not safely assume that the

Neither Mr Punpe nor Mr Kederich were without experience in business matters. Mr Rumpe had been the manacer at the bar of the Boulevarde Hotel and had also worked as assistant manager of a company which conducted licensed premises. In September 1973 he was a motor car retailer.

Mrs Rumpe was a clothing retailer and Mr Koderich a salesman.

I am unconvinced by the evidence of all the applicants that they would not have entered into the agreement had they not believed that the premises were licensed until 3 a.m. The applicants state that they individually raised the question of hours with either Mr or Mrs Winters. I do not accept their evidence in this respect. I find it very difficult to believe that if they regarded the existence of a license to sell liquor until 3 a.m. as of such critical importance they would not have taken some steps to verify that the premises were indeed licensed until 3 a.m. Moreover, if the applicants had been assured by Mr or Mrs Winters that the premises were licensed until 3. a.m., Mr Rumpe would certainly have told Mr Koderich and the other applicants the substance of his conversation with Sgt McKellar. It is to be remembered that Mr Koderich said

that Mr Rumpe told him nothing of his discussion with Sot

McKellar on the question of licensed trading hours,

The conversation which Mr Rumpe had with Mr Worrall shortly before the agreement was executed does not assist the

applicants' case that Mr and Mrs Winters orally asserted that

the premises were licensed until 3 a.m. When Mr HorralL told Mr Rumpe that the ordinary trading hours were cniy until 12 midnight it might have been expected that Mr Rumpe would ask Mr Worrall to include a warranty in the contract that the premises were licensed until 3 a.m. This would have been particularly the case if Winters had contemporaneously repeated his alleged assurance as to the licensed hours. Rumpe made no such request of Mr Worrall. It seems to me that the reason why he did nct require the written agreement to include a warranty as to the licensed hours was that he knew very well that the respondents would not agree to give such a warranty. I think that Winters may well have repeated his belief as to the licensed hours, but I do not accept that he stated that the restaurant was licensed

One can only speculate as to the reasons why the applicants were prepared to enter into the agreement without any assurance that the restaurant was licensed until 3 a.m. But one likely explanation is that, when known as The Box Office Restaurant, the premises had in fact traded until 3 a.n. and that the applicants thought there was a reasonable chance that, given an appropriate application to the licensing authorities, the restaurant would again be licensed until 3 a.m, Sqt McKellar's statement to Mr Rumpe that there was something "going through" affecting the premises might well

have encouraged the applicants to believe that an application

to extend the trading hours until 3 a.m. would succeed.

According to the s6rdgeant, the licensing police trwuld not heave

opposed an extension of the ltcensed hours until 2 a.m.

It was i.ncautious, not to say reckless, or tre respondents to state in the newspaper advertisement that the premises were licensed until 3 a.m. But {[ am satisfied on the whole of the evidence that, although that statement clearly amounted to misleading conduct within the meaning of 38.52 of

the Trade Practices Act, it played no part in the decision of

the applicants to enter into the agreement. ay the time tney siqned the agreement they had been told, in effect, that they should not rely upon the statement but should rely upon their own enquiries. Those enquiries were made by them or on their behalf and the result of the enquiries was Known before the

Counsel for the applicants argued that since Mr Rumpe said that he did not tell the cther applicants of what he had been told by Sqt McKellar and Mr Worrall, the other acplicants should not be presumed to have known the true facts when they signed the agreement. I do not think this argument 1s sustainable, It is clear that Mr Rumpe was allowed bv the other applicants to negotiate the agreement on their behalf. He was the person who made contact with Mr Winters and 1t was he who took the leading part in the negotiations. It was also he who gave instructions to Mr Worrall and it was to Mr lhump2

that Mr Worrall referred when he wished to communicate his

advice to all the appiicants. He was the solicitor fer

applicants could not succeed in their claim under s. S52 of

Act, they could not succeed in the claims for fraud and freach

of warranty. Accordingly the application must be dismissed

Trade Practices - sale of business - opening hours -

PETER __RUMPE, CHRISSY RUMPE,. JOHN KODERICH and FAYE

MARK WINTERS, Second Respondent, DENISE ERICA WINTEPS

BETWEEN : PETER RUMPE, CHRISSY RUMPE, JOHN KODERICH and FAYE KODERICH

First Respondent AND: MARK WINTERS Second Respondent

ORDER JUDGE MAKING ORDER : Morling J. DATE OF ORDER : 24 January 1985 WHERE MADE : Sydney

) ) NEW SOUTH WALES DISTRICT REGISTRY ) No. G 391 of 1983 ) GENERAL DIVISION )

BETWEEN ; PETER RUMPE, CHRISSY RUMPE, JOHN KODERTCH and FAYE KODERICH

On 2 September 1983 the applicants entered into an agreement with tne first respondent for the management of a

restaurant at 24 Bay Street, Double Bay. The second and third respondents are directors of the first respondent. Pursuant to

the agreement the applicants were given the right to manage the

restaurant for a period of three years. As consideration for the grant of this right the applicants agreed to pay the first respondent $20,000. The agreement gave them the right to

The aqreement was expressed to be subiect to and conditional upon approval by the Metropolitan Licensing Court to "the transfer of the on-license (restaurant) in respect of

the licensed premises to Peter kumpe ...", or the aranting of

a new on-license to Peter Rumpe or one of the other applicants.

The applicants first became interested in the restaurant as the result of an advertisement which Mr Winters

arranged to be inserted in a newspaper. The advertisement was

"RESTAURANT. Double Bay. 3 a.m. licence. Fully equipped kitchen

and discotheque, 120 seats, Only experienced operators need apply.

The reference to "Mark" was a reference to Mr Winters.

In response to the advertisement Mr Peter kKumpe initially spoke to Mr Winters over the telephone. According to Mr Rumpe he asked Mr Winters whether the restaurant had a "3 o'clock license" and Winters replied: "Yes, 1t had a 3 o'clock

license." Rumpe said that later the same day he went to the

premizes in Bay Street and spoke to Mrs Winters and that atter inspecting the premises and enquiring what equipment was available he asked whether the restaurant had a3 o'clock liquor license. He claimed that Mrs Winters said that it did

The applicants also allege that at various times prior to the signing of the agreement a similar representation as to the hour to which the restaurant premises were licensed to sell liquor was made to the other applicants. Mr Rumpe said that during the evening of the day when he and his wife spoke with Mrs Winters at the premises another conversation was held with Mrs Winters. According to Mr Rumpe, his wife asked Mrs Winters whether the restaurant had a 3 o'clock license and she replied that it did. Although Mrs Rumpe corroborated her husband's account of the conversation which had occurred with Mrs Winters during the day, she said there was no discussion about the

Both Mr Rumpe and Mr Koderich claimed that they went to the Bay Street premises on another occasion, probably 29 August 1983, and had a conversation with Mr Winters. They both claimed that Mr Koderich asked Mr Winters whéther the premises were licensed until 3 o'clock, and that Mr Winters said that they were s0 licensed. Mrs Koderich claimed that she herself

was present at the premises late in the afternoon of 29 Aucust

when Mr Winters, Peter Rumpe and her husband were also present.

She said that she asked Mr Winters whether the premises definitely had a3a.m. license, and that he replied that they did have such a license. There was yet another occasion wnen, according to Mr Rumpe, Mr Winters represented that the premises were licensed until 3 a.m. This was an occasion (to which I shall make fuller reference later in these reasons) when Mr Rumpe's solicitor spoke to him on the telephone. According to Mr Rumpe, after he had paid a $500 holding deposit to Mr Winters, he had a conversation with him at his office. Whilst Mr Winters was in his office Mr Rumpe's solicitor, Mr Worrall, rang. After speaking to Mr Worrall he then spoke to Mr Winters and again asked him whether the premises had a3 o'clock

license. According to Mr Rumpe, Mr Winters again said that the

statement that the restaurant was licensed until 3 a.m. when

they entered into the management aqreement. They further alleged that they would not have entered into the agreement had they known, as was the fact, that the restaurant was not licensed until 3 a.m. but only until midnight. Accordinaly,

they bring these proceedings against the respondents seeking

damages for breach of 3.52 of the Trade Practices Act 1974, fraud and breach of warranty. It has been agreed between the parties that I should first determine the question of liability and accordingly that is the only issue that presently arises

The respondents admit that the statement in the news- paper advertisement that the restaurant premises were licensed until 3 a.m. was incorrect. However, they deny that the alleged oral representations were made. Mr Winters said that when he acquired the restaurant from the previous owner he was told that it was licensed to trade until 3 o'clock. He said that he believed what he was told, but did not take any steps to verify the information. He said that, to his knowledge, the restaurant had in fact traded until 3 a.m. in former years. Mr Koderich confirmed that this was so. He said that he had known the premises before he became interested in entering into the management agreement. He said that 1t used to be called The Box Office Restaurant, and that "1t was a 3a.m. licensed premises". He said that he had visited the restaurant when 1t was trading "well after midnight". Mrs Koderich said that her husband told her that he was aware that The Box Office Restaurant traded until 3 o'clock. She also said that before she siqned the management agreement she spoke to a lot of her friends and that they, in effect, had assured her that The Box

his first conversation with Mr Rumpe. He agreed that when he

saw Mr Rumpe at the restaurant the question of hours was discussed, According to him, Mr Rumpe asked him whether the restaurant was licensed until 3 a.m. and he replied: "T think it is licensed until 3 a.m. because when I bought the premises it was advertised until 3 a.m., but I think you should make your own enquiries." According to Winters. he also told Fumpe that he should have a talk to the licensing police in charge of the Double Bay area. He said he gave Rumpe the name of Sgt. McKellar because "he was the person responsible for the restaurant." He also said that, subsequently, Rumpe told him that he had indeed spoken to the sergeant. He also said that during the conversation at the office of Mr Worrall, the

applicants' solicitor, the question of hours was again raised.

He said that Mr Worrall asked him whether the premises were licensed until 3 a.m. and that he replied that he thought they were licensed until 3 a.m., "but you had better check up with the Licensing Police and also my solicitor has a copy of the

There is no doubt that a conversation at which Mr Winters was present did take place in Mr Worrall's office, and that during the course of that conversation Mr Worrall did rind Mr Best, who was acting for the respondent. There is also no doubt that Mr Worrall raised with Mr Best the very matter which

Mr Winters says was raised, i.e. obtaining a copy of the

In substance, Mr Winters said that he did not tell any of the applicants that the premises were licensed until 3 a.m., although he agreed that he did say that he thought they were licensed until 3 a.m. Although he was uncertain as to some details of the conversations which took place prior to the signing of the agreement, he was positive that he advised Mr Rumpe to make his own enquiries about the hours during which the restaurant could sell liquor. He was equally positive that at no stage did he make a firm oral statement that the premises were licensed until 3 a.m. He was uncertain as to exactly what conversation had passed between him and Mr and Mrs Koderich. but he was positive that Mrs Koderich did not raise

the question of hours with him. He also said that if Mr Koderich had raised the question of hours with him, he would

have given him the same answer as he gave Mr Rumpe.

part in the negotiations leading up to the agreement.

I have not attempted to refer in complete detail to the conversations which the applicants allege took place with either Mr or Mrs Winter prior to the staning of the agreement. However, it is necessary to refer in some little detail to two

other conversations. The first of these took place between

Mr Rumre and Sgt. McKellar. The second was the conversation (to which I have already referred) over the telephone between Mr Worrall and Mr Rumpe at a time wnen Mr Winters was in Mr

On 1 September, i.e. the dav before the agreement was signed, Mr Rumpe had a discussion with Sat McKellar. Mr

"MR FORSTER: And you inquired of him, did you, whether or not this place had a 3 a.m. licence?---That is correct. yes.

I see. And did he tell you that it did not have a 3 o'clock licence?---No, he did not.

MR FORSTER: And that was the day before you siqned the agreement?---That is correct, yes.

So you made inquiries of Sergeant McKellar; why did you make inquiries of Sergeant McKellar?--- . . I just wanted to satisfy my own mind, your Honour, that I am doing the right things by

opening the doors to the public till 3 o'clock in the morning.

HIS HONOUR: Mr Rumpe, can you tell me again just what - ag far as you can recall Mr Rumpe - what you said to the sergeant and what he said to you on that occasion?---I spoke to Sergeant McKellar and asked him, has this place got this 3 o'clock licence; he said he could not tell me there is some extension going through - there is something in progress.

Yes, and what did you say to that?---I did not say anything."

Later in his evidence he was asked what he understood from Sgt McKellar's statement that something was "going through". His

"HIS HONOUR: But he also said, I think vou said, that he thought there was something going through?---Yes, something in progress, yes.

Well, did you ask him what he meant by that?---No, I did not, your Honour.

Did not that indicate to you that at least there was a chance that there was something acing through

about a 3 am licence?---No, your Honour, after he said he does not know. there is something in progress and the restaurant has changed hands quite afew times, so every time it changes hands the licence has to be renewed.

Yes, but your conversation with him was about trading hours, was not 1it?---Yes, that is corect, yes.

And it was in relation to trading hours that he used

some such expression as that - there was something going through?~--Yes, that is correct.

that there was something going through or might be going through about the hours. Is not that right?---Yes, that could be, yes your Honour.

Well, that could have meant that either the licence finished at 12 and there was something going through to a later hour, or that it was licensed till 3 and something was going through to make it an earlier hour, would not it?---Yes, it could have been, yes. Except that he does not know, actually his real words were - he does not know, just do not worry, there is something going through, because I had met Sergeant McKellar due to my experience in working at the Boulevarde Hotel."

According to Sgt McKellar, he was well aware that the restaurant was not licensed until 3 a.m. Sqt McKellar had no clear recollection of the details of his conversation with Mr Rumpe. However, he was positive that 1f he had been asked by Mr Rumpe about the permissible trading hours, he would not have said that he did not know. His evidence included the

"MR FORSTER: Did you on that occasion say to him (1.e. Mr Rumpe) words to the effect that you did not know what the trading hours of that restaurant were but that there was something going through?---I would not say I did not know the trading hours. I may have said there is an application pending but I would not say I did not know, because I do, and I did know."

In other evidence, the sergeant specifically disagreed with Mr Rumpe's evidence that he said he did not know whether the restaurant was licensed until 3 a.m. He also gave the following evidence:

seeking your advice or information from you as to where the licence stood, it would not be

unreasonable for you in those circumstances to say that you could not state with certainty where the licence stood?

THE WITNESS: I would state with certainty where the situaion was. It has either got a 12 o'clock or a 2 o'clock it cannot be half and half. If he asked me I would say, 'It has qota 12

o''clock close', if he asked me direct, or, 'It has got a 2 am close'."

According to Mr Rumpe, he did not tell any of his partners or his solicitor about his conversation with Sgt McKellar. and this notwithstanding the repeated assertions by him and his co-applicants in the course of their evidence that the right to trade until 3 a.m. was of great importance to them and that they would not have entered into the agreement but for the assurance from the respondents that the restaurant could trade until that hour. Mr Koderich confirmed that Mr Fumpe did

not tell him of his conversation with the sergeant. He said

that if he had been told of it he would not have signed the

The second conversation to which reference must be made in detail is that between Mr Rumpe and his solicitor, Mr Worrall. Prior to this conversation Mr Worrall had spoken cn the telephone to Mr Winter's solicitor, Mr Best, and asxed him whether he had a copy of the restaurant licence. Mr Best sald he did, and sent a copy of it to Mr Worrall. Upon receipt of the licence Mr Worrall telephoned the Licensing Court and spoke to an officer of the Court. He said that he asked the officer: "What trading hours would be applicable to the licence endorsed

At a glance

Court

Decision date

Before

Catchwords

Source

Catchwords

Judgment (235 paragraphs)

Cited By (1)