Topic 2(a): AGREEMENT: OFFER

Reading: Textbook: Chapter 1, 1.1 1.3 Part2, 27-28 chapter 3. 32-58, Casebook:
chapter 3, 13-26
The nature of Agreement
Smith v Hughes (1871) LR 6 QB 597
Objective Approach
Taylor v Johnson [1983] HCA 5
Franklins Pty Ltd v Metcash Trading Ltd [2009] NSWCA 407
Fitzwood Pty Ltd v Unique Goal Pty Ltd [2001] FCA

Unilateral and Bilateral Contracts
United Dominion Trust (Commercial) Ltd v Eagle Aircraft Services Limited [1968] 1 WLR
74
Australian Woollen Mills Pty Ltd v Commonwealth (1954) 92 CLR 424
General Rules
MacRobertson Miller Airline Services v Commissioner of State Taxation
(WA) (1975) 133 CLR 125

The Offer
Definition of Offer
Australian Woollen Mills Pty Ltd v Commonwealth (1954) 92 CLR 424
Who can be an offeree?
Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co [1893] 1 QB 256
Mere Supply of Information
Harvey v Facey [1893] AC 552
Puff
Leonard v Pepsico Inc 88 Supp 2d (SDNY) (1999)
Advertisements and Invitations to Treat
Fisher v Bell [1961]1 QB 394
Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain v Boots Cash Chemists (Southern) Ltd [1953] 1 QB
401
Grainger and Son v Gough [1896] AC 325
Lefkowitz V Great Minneapolis Surplus Store 86 NW 2d 689 (1957) Supreme Court of
Minnesota
Distinguishing an Invitation to Treat from an Offer to the World at Large
Lefkowitz V Great Minneapolis Surplus Store 86 NW 2d 689 (1957) Supreme Court of
Minnesota
Tenders
Spencer v Harding (1870) LR 5 CP 561
Harvela Investments Ltd v Royal Trust Company of Canada (C1) Ltd [1986] 1 AC 207
Blackpool and Fylde Aero Club Ltd v Blackpool Borough Council [1990] 3 All ER 25
Hughes Aircraft Systems International v Airservices Australia (1997) 146 ALR 1
Auctions
Payne v Cave (1789) 3 Term Rep 148; 100 ER 502
Harris v Nickerson (1873) LR 8QB 286
AGC (Advances) Ltd v McWhirter (1977) 1 BPR 9454
Smythe Thomas [2007] NSWSC 844
e Bay International AG v Creative Festivals [2006] FCA 1768
Sale of Goods Act 1923 (NSW) s 60
Options
Goldsbrough Mort & Co Ltd v Quinn (1910) 10 CLR 674
Tickets
MacRobertson Miller Airline Services v Commissioner of State Taxation (WA) (1975) 133
CLR 125
The Requirement of Communication
Fitch v Snedaker 38 NY 248 (1868)
Motive of acceptor immaterial
Williams v Carwardine (1833) 4 B & Ad 621; 110 ER 590
Knowledge is essential
R v Clarke (1927) 40 CLR 227
Cross offers
Tinn v Hoffman and Co (1873) 29 LT 271


The Fate of an Offer
Revocation / Withdrawal
Dickinson v Dodds (1876) 2 Ch D 463.
Byrne v Van Tienhoven (1880) LR 5 CPD 344
Where offer is to the world at large. Problems with Unilateral Contracts
Daulia Ltd v Four Millbank Nominees Ltd [1978] 1 Ch 231
Mobil Oil Australia Ltd v Wellcome International Pty Ltd(1998) 81 FLR 475
Acceptance
Rejection
Counter Offer
Hyde v Wrench (1840) 3 Beav 334; 49 ER 132
Northland Airliners Ltd v Dennis Ferranti Meters Ltd, The Times Law Report, Oct 23, 1970.
Request for Further Information
Stevenson, Jacques & Co v Mclean (1880) 5 QBD 346
Lapse of Time
Manchester Diocesan Council for Education v Commercial & General
Investments Ltd 1 WLR 241.
Balla v Theophilos (1957) 98 CLR 193
Death
Dickinson v Dodds (1876) 2 Ch D 463.
Fong v Cilli (1968) 11 FLR 495
Failure of condition
Financings Ltd v Stimson [1962]3 All ER 386
Supervening Incapacity
Statutory Intervention
Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), Sch 2 (Australian Consumer
Law , ACL)*, Sch 2, ss18, 21, 29, Sch 2 Part 3-1 Unfair practices
provisions
(*This is the new name of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (TPA). Many
cases and articles you read will refer to the TPA, especially to the TPA
sections 52, 53, 54, 56 & s 82)
Industry Codes of Practice Australian Consumer Law Sch 2, s 51 AD