One-time shareholders in the former Tui dairy company may get another day in court next May.
A group of 280 former Tui suppliers began a civil action after Kiwi Dairies' takeover of Tui and its Manawatu and Wairarapa suppliers in 1996.
The action is starting the interlocutory phase, in which lawyers
define the issues under discussion and gain access to all trial documents.
Lawyer Brian Henry said work was going well. "It will take a while yet but we could be in court by May."
He said discovery of information had been completed.
This is the second attempt by the group to get the takeover examined in court.
In July last year, in the High Court at Wellington, Master Thomson dismissed an application to allow discovery to begin in a civil action.
The group was seeking access to documents on the merger but Master Thomson ruled that it had taken too long to bring an action.
In the first action, $200 million was reportedly sought from Kiwi for damages and lost earnings. Mr Henry declined to specify what the group was now seeking.
- NZPA
