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View/Open - Research Commons - The University of Waikato

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depend on the occurrence <strong>of</strong> events that may or may not happen. 32 Prospective<br />

liability is defined in the case <strong>of</strong> Stonegate Securities Ltd v Gregory 33 as "a debt<br />

which will certainly become due in the future, either on some date which has already<br />

been determined or on some date determinable by reference to future events." From<br />

the definition, prospective liability includes both liquidated sums due and<br />

unliquidated claims <strong>of</strong> future debts. 34 However, for the purpose <strong>of</strong> the test, potential<br />

liabilities are not to be included, as decided in the case <strong>of</strong> Re European Life<br />

Society. 35 It should be noted that unlike the UK and Malaysia, the New Zealand<br />

Companies Act 1993 only requires the contingent liabilities to be taken into<br />

consideration when ascertaining the company‟s net assets under the test. 36<br />

Under the test, the valuations <strong>of</strong> assets and liabilities are important because it<br />

requires a solvent company to have positive net assets. 37 While in most cases the<br />

company‟s solvency status is clear-cut, there are marginal situations where the<br />

ascertainment <strong>of</strong> the value <strong>of</strong> assets and liabilities is essential. 38 In this situation, the<br />

court has to decide on the balance <strong>of</strong> probabilities whether the company is or was at<br />

a particular point <strong>of</strong> time unable to pay its debts. 39 In addition, the company is free to<br />

choose from various methods available for valuation, depending on its business as<br />

32 Ibid, at [4-28].<br />

33 [1980] 1 Ch 576, per Buckley LJ at 579.<br />

34 Goode above n3 at [4-29].<br />

35 (1869) LR 9 Eq 122 at 128.<br />

36 Section 4(1)(b) <strong>of</strong> the New Zealand Companies Act 1993; but see also section 188 <strong>of</strong> the Act which<br />

requires both prospective and contingent liabilities to be considered in order to determine the<br />

meaning <strong>of</strong> unable to pay its debts for the purpose <strong>of</strong> winding up.<br />

37 Ross above n5 at 79.<br />

38 Goode above n3 at [4-34].<br />

39 Ibid; see also Mike Ross “<strong>The</strong> Statutory Solvency Test” in Andrew Borrowdale, David Rowe and<br />

Lynne Taylor (Eds) Company Law Writings: A New Zealand Collection (Centre for Commercial<br />

and Corporate Law, Christchurch, 2002) 177 at 198 [“Company Law Writings”].<br />

178

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