In re Northern New England Co.

111 F. Supp. 354, 1953 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2947, 1953 WL 79296
CourtDistrict Court, D. Maine
DecidedMarch 25, 1953
DocketNo. 477
StatusPublished

This text of 111 F. Supp. 354 (In re Northern New England Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Northern New England Co., 111 F. Supp. 354, 1953 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2947, 1953 WL 79296 (D. Me. 1953).

Opinion

CLIFFORD, District Judge.

Certain plans (Exhibits D and F to the Commission’s Third Supplemental Application herein) to effectuate the provisions of Section 11(b) of the Public Utility Holding [355]*355Company Act of 1935, 15 U.S.C.A. § 79k(b) (the “Act”) having been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), pursuant to Section 11(e) of the Act, by New England Public Service Company (“NEPSCO”), and its parent, Northern New England Company (“Northern”), both registered holding companies under the Act, proposing the liquidation of said companies; said plans having been modified by amendments filed with the Commission at various times (which plans as so modified are hereinafter referred to respectively as the “NEPSCO Plan” and the “Northern Plan,” and collectively as the “Plans”); the Commission, after due notice and hearings, having found the Plans necessary to effectuate the provisions of Section 11(b) of the Act and fair and equitable to the persons affected thereby and having approved the Plans by Orders dated February 13, 1953 and March 23, 1953; NEPSCO and Northern having requested the Commission to apply to an appropriate United States District Court to enforce and carry out the terms and provisions of the Plans; the Commission, on February 17, 1953, having filed with this Court a Third Supplemental Application to enforce and carry out the terms and provisions of the Plans; this Court, by Order dated February 19, 1953, having fixed March 25, 1953, as the date for a hearing on said Third Supplemental Application and having prescribed the notice to be given of such hearing, the time within which objections might be filed to the granting of said Third Supplemental Application, and the manner of making such objections; and

It appearing that due and sufficient notice of said hearing has been given in accordance with the provisions of said Order of this Court dated February 19, 1953; Coffin & Burr, Incorporated; and The First Boston Corporation having filed a Petition and a Summary Statement of Position in support thereof, and having subsequently withdrawn said Petition; no other objections having been filed; a hearing having been duly held on March 25, 1953; the Commission, NEPSCO, Northern, and representatives of various security holders of NEPSCO and Northern having appeared at said hearing through their respective counsel in support of said Third Supplemental Application, and no one having appeared in opposition thereto; all persons affected by the Plans having been afforded an opportunity for hearing; and

The Court having duly considered the Plans and the record herein, and being fully advised in the premises;

It is hereby found, .ordered, adjudged, and decreed:

(1) The Court finds and concludes that the Commission’s findings of fact and conclusions of law, embodied in its Findings and Opinion and Order' dated February 13, 1953, set forth as Exhibit J to the Commission’s Third Supplemental Application herein, and in its Supplemental Order dated March 23, 1953, submitted at the hearing herein, are supported by substantial evidence and were arrived at in accordance with legal standards.

(2) Subject to the terms and conditions of said Orders of the Commission dated February 13, 1953 and March 23, 1953, the Plans of NEPSCO and Northern are approved as fair and equitable and as appropriate to effectuate- the provisions of Section 11 of the Act, and the Court hereby directs that the Plans be enforced and carried out in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Plans and said Orders of the Commission and as hereinafter directed.

(3) Subject to the terms and conditions of said Orders of the Commission dated February 13, 1953, and March 23, 1953, this Court, for the purpose' of carrying out the terms and provisions of the Plans, and to the extent necessary for that purpose, hereby takes exclusive jfirisdiction of NEPSCO and Northern and their assets whether now owned or hereafter acquired and wherever located, and continues the exclusive jurisdiction of NEPSCO and its assets heretofore taken and extended by its Orders herein dated August 6, 1947, September 27, 1950, and November 29, 1950.

(4) NEPSCO and Northern shall retain possession of their respective assets and continue the operation of their respective [356]*356businesses through their respective officers, trustees, directors, employees, and agents, except as otherwise provided by this Order, or by any prior or subsequent Order herein; and they and each of them may enter into any transaction not inconsistent with the Plans and this Order, including the filing of appropriate applications, declarations, notices, and statements with the Commission in conformity with the Act and with the Rules and Regulations and Orders promulgated and issued thereunder, in all cases where such filing would be required if this Court had not taken jurisdiction.

(5) NEPSCO and Northern, acting by and through their respective officers, trustees, directors, employees, and agents, are hereby authorized, ordered, and directed, subject to the terms and conditions of this Order and of said Orders of the Commission dated February 13/1953, and March 23, 1953, to take or cause to be taken, as soon as practicable, any and all action necessary or appropriate to carry into effect the transactions provided for in the Plans and in this Order and to consummate and carry out the Plans and to comply with this Order.

(6) The consummation date of the Plans shall be selected promptly by NEPSCO, and shall be a date as soon as practicable, but not more than ninety days, after the date of this Order.

(7) At least seven days’ prior notice of the consummation date of the Plans shall be given by Guaranty Trust Company of New York (“Guaranty”), heretofore selected as the Liquidation Trustee and Liquidation Agent pursuant to the NEPSCO Plan and the Northern Plan, respectively, by publication once in a daily newspaper of general circulation in each of the Cities of Boston and New York, and by mail to the security holders of NEPSCO and Northern of record, as of a date not earlier than the date of this Order, at their latest known addresses, and to every other person, or his attorney of record, who entered an appearance in the proceedings on the Plans.

(8) On the consummation 'date of the Plans, after deposit of. portfolio stocks and cash, if any, with Guaranty as Liquidation Trustee and Liquidation Agent, as provided by the Plans, and after notice has been duly given, the security holders of NEPSCO and Northern shall cease to have any rights as stockholders or shareholders, except to receive distributions in accordance with the terms of the Plans.

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Related

§ 79k
15 U.S.C. § 79k(b)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
111 F. Supp. 354, 1953 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2947, 1953 WL 79296, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-northern-new-england-co-med-1953.