Wellington, June 22 NZPA - The Serious Fraud Office says it has visited the offices of Aorangi Securities in Timaru in response to concerns raised by the Registrar of Companies.

Wellington, June 21 NZPA - South Canterbury Finance, the finance company owned by a company associated with Allan Hubbard, has stopped accepting deposits temporarily while it amends its investment statement and prospectus.

Wellington, June 21 NZPA - Allan Hubbard, who was placed into statutory management yesterday, has shied away from publicity throughout his long life but is thought to be the South Island's wealthiest man.

By Kate Chapman of NZPA

By Kate Chapman of NZPA Wellington, June 20 NZPA - Unsecured and undocumented loans by Aorangi Securities have resulted in it and its owners, South Canterbury millionaire financier Allan Hubbard and his wife, Margaret, being placed under statutory management.

Wellington, June 20 NZPA - South Canterbury millionaire financier Allan Hubbard and his wife, Margaret, are being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Commerce Minister Simon Power announced today.

Wellington, June 4 NZPA - South Canterbury Finance said Torchlight Fund No 1 LP, a fund associated with businessman George Kerr, is no longer investing equity but is increasing a funding facility to South Canterbury Finance by $25 million to $100m.

Wellington, May 28 NZPA - South Canterbury Finance has had its long term credit rating downgraded by two notches to B plus by Standard & Poor's but it remains covered by the Government's extended retail deposit guarantee scheme.

Wellington, April 12 NZPA - South Canterbury Finance is getting "back in the market" with a new prospectus registered today after increasing the size of its reported interim loss.

Wellington, March 1 NZPA - Timaru-based businessman Allan Hubbard is strengthening South Canterbury Finance by putting his family company's shareholdings in Helicopter (NZ) Ltd and Scales Corp Ltd into the lender.