American director misses court date

An American company director facing eight charges under the Financial Reporting Act failed to appear in the Auckland District Court yesterday.

The charges were laid by the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) enforcement unit against John Malcolm Carr, whose date of birth is listed as unknown.

His address was given as a Remuera, Auckland, apartment but MED says it has not been able to contact him there or at any stage in its inquiry into his activities.

Unusually, Carr could not be located to serve summons on and they were received by his Cromwell lawyer, Alan McKay.

Carr's company listings were first challenged by the Wellington based Society for the Promotion of Community Standards who questioned the commercial relationship between Carr and pornographer Stephen Crow who runs the "boobs on bikes" parades.

The two have shared directorships on companies.

The society questioned whether MED was adequately monitoring the internet based company registration system.

The charges against Carr were laid in the District Court yesterday but Carr and Mr McKay were not present before the registrar.

During a brief hearing Mr McKay contacted the court by email to advice that they would not be present and was granted an adjournment to appear before a judge on August 31.

He was charged with failing to submit financial reports for two years running over Velocity Partners, PJ Digital, First Virtual Deposit and Nominee and Shelf Company No 10.

If convicted on a charge Carr can be fined up to $100,000.

Carr says on a website johnmcarr.com that he was born in the US but grew up in New Zealand.

He claims that in 1995 as a director of New Zealand Petroleum he changed its direction to enter health care facilities for the elderly.

Shelf Company No 10 claims to have purchased 80 hectares of "iconic coast line" property in Pakiri, north of Auckland.

- © Fairfax NZ News