Temuka construction and concrete business latest to fall into liquidation

Monday, 3 March 2025

Temuka firm, Baseline Concrete Ltd, owned by Joshua Paul Carey, was placed into liquidation on February 19, by special resolution of its shareholders.

The amount owed by a Temuka-based construction and concrete business which was placed into liquidation in February had not yet been determined, but creditors have been asked to lodge a claim.

Baseline Concrete Ltd, owned by Joshua Paul Carey, was placed into liquidation on February 19, by special resolution of its shareholders.

According to the liquidator’s first report, which was filed to the companies office on February 26, the business was incorporated in July 2020, with the director, Carey, stating it began trading in March 2022.

In his report, liquidator Mohammed Jan of Liquidation Management, said according to the director, the company first became unable to meet its financial obligations due to the former co-owner leaving projects incomplete, coupled with a breakdown in their business relationship.

“As a result the company accumulated debt and was unable to trade out of its financial difficulties,’’ Jan said in the report.

The amount owed by Baseline Concrete Ltd is still be determined.

“After seeking financial advice, the shareholder decided to place the company into liquidation.’’

According to Companies Office records, Arno Gericke was removed as a shareholder of the business on February 19, the same day the company was placed into liquidation.

Skyann Lyn Cornelius was removed as a shareholder in April 2023.

Jan said it was “not practical’’ to estimate when the liquidation would be complete at this stage.

His report said the book value of assets was $91,261, with $24,041 of that sitting in the shareholder’s account.

In December, finance and credit expert Centrix managing director Keith McLaughlin told The Timaru Herald the number of businesses going to the wall in South Canterbury would likely continue to climb for at least six more months.

Unsecured creditors were owed $8702, while the amount owed to three secured creditors listed was yet to be determined.

One preferential creditor, Inland Revenue, was listed in the report but the amount owed was also unknown.

Cassandra Knox hides behind her partner in front of Christchurch Central Police Station. She pleaded guilty to charges of tax evasion in the Christchurch District Court on Tuesday, but disputed how much she was alleged to have personally gained. The charges relate to Elite Employment Ltd, which Knox incorporated two hours and 55 minutes after her Timaru recruitment agency, Trinity Employment Ltd, was placed in liquidation. Trinity Employment owes $2.9m.

Jan gave a date of March 19, 2025, as the last day for creditors to make a claim with enquiries to be directed to info@liquidationmanagement.co.nz.

In December, managing director of finance and credit expert Centrix, Keith McLaughlin, told The Timaru Herald the number of businesses going to the wall in South Canterbury was likely to continue to climb for at least six more months.

Centrix collected data on liquidations and McLaughlin said the impact of liquidations was greater on rural communities, such as South Canterbury, where the economy was smaller and it was more noticeable.

Over the past 17 months, The Timaru Herald had reported on several South Canterbury businesses that have been placed into liquidation.

On Wednesday, the boss of a former Timaru recruitment agency that owed creditors $2.9 million admitted she evaded tax with her second agency, but disputed how much she personally benefitted.

Cassandra Knox entered guilty pleas to charges of tax evasion related to her company Elite Employment Ltd in the Christchurch District Court on Tuesday afternoon.

She was accused of aiding and abetting Elite Employment to withhold a GST return for the periods ending July 31 and September 30, 2024, and to withhold tax for a purpose other than payment to Inland Revenue, court documents previously showed.