No govt guarantee spells end for trust

The fund's trustee, Trustee Executors, agreed to wind down the fund last month. General manager Bruce Rasmussen told investors the aim was to avoid forced property sales and to preserve capital.

"It's tough - most of the property market's in turmoil," he said. "Tighter liquidity controls and less access to credit" made it extremely difficult for the fund to continue, he said.

The fund decided made its decision after "collective investments didn't liquefy," Rasmussen said. The trust will wind down over two or three years, and investors should get back most, if not all, or the $47.5 million fund which was frozen for 90 days.  

The decision follows Canterbury Mortgage Trust's move to wind up its $251 million fund in February. Canterbury Mortgage Trust is expected to take two to three years to fully repay investors.