THE CARRIERS ACT, 1865
(Act No. 3 of 1805)
[14th
February1865]
1. Short title.
4. For
carrying such property payment may be required at rates fixed by carrier
8. Common carrier liable for
loss or damage caused by neglect or fraud of himself or his agent.
10. Notice of
loss or injury to be given within six months.
11. State Government to add to
the Schedule.
THE CARRIERS ACT, 1865
(Act No. 3 of 1805)
[14th
February1865]
An
Act relating to the rights and liabilities of Common Carriers.
Preamble. -Whereas it is expedient not only to enable
common carriers to limit their liability for loss of or damage to property
delivered to them to be carried but also to declare their liability for loss of
or damage to such property occasioned by the negligence or criminal acts of
themselves, their servants or agents; It is enacted as follows:
1. Short title. -This Act may be cited as the Carriers Act, 1865.
2. Interpretation-clause. ---In this Act, unless there be something
repugnant in the,
subject or context,--
“Common
carrier” denotes a person, other than the Government, engaged it the business
of transporting for hire property from place to pace, by land or in land navigation, for all persons
indiscriminately;
“Person” includes any association or body of
persons, whether incorporated or not.
3. Carriers not to be liable for loss of certain goods above one hundred
rupees in value, unless delivered as such. -No common carrier shall be liable for the loss of or, damage
to property delivered to him to be carried exceeding in value one hundred
rupees and of the description contained in the Schedule to this Act, unless the
person delivering such property to be carried, or some person duly
authorised in that behalf, shall have
expressly declared to such carrier or his agent the value and description thereof.
4. For carrying such property payment may he required at rates fixed
by carrier.-Every
such carrier may require payment for the risk undertaken in carrying property exceeding in value one hundred
rupees and of the description aforesaid, at such rate of charge as he may fix:
Provided
that, to entitle such carrier to payment at a rate higher than his ordinary
rate of charge, he shall have caused to be exhibited in the place where he
carries on the business of receiving property to be carried, notice of the
higher rate of charge required, printed or written in English and in the
vernacular language of the country wherein he carries on such business.
5. The person entitled to recover in respect of property lost or damaged
may also recover money paid for its carriage.
-In cases of the loss or damages to property exceeding in value one hundred
rupees and of the description aforesaid, delivered to such carrier to be
carried, when the value and description thereof shall have been declared and
payment shall have been required in manner provided for by this Act, the person
entitled to recover any money actually paid to such carrier in consideration of
such risk as aforesaid.
6. In respect of what property liability of carrier not limited or
affected by public notice. Carriers, with certain exception, may limit
liability by special contract. -The liability of any common carrier for
the loss of or damage to any property delivered to him to be carried, not being
of the description contained in the Schedule to this Act, shall not be deemed
to be limited or affected by any public notice; but any such carrier, not being
the owner of a railroad or tramroad constructed under the provisions of Act 22
of 1863 (to provide for taking land for works of public utility to be
constructed by private persons or Companies, and for regulating the
construction and use of works on land so taken) may, by special contract,
signed by the owner of such property so delivered as last aforesaid or by some
person duly authorised in that behalf by such owner, limit his liability in
respect of the same.
7. Liability of owner of railroad or tramroad constructed under Act 22 of
1863, not limited by special contract. In what case owner of railroad or
tramroad answerable for loss or damage-The liability of the owner
of any railroad or tramroad constructed under the provisions of the said Act 22
of 1863, for the loss of or damage to any property delivered to him to be
carried, not being of the description contained in the Schedule to this Act,
shall not be deemed to be limited or affected by any special contract; but the
owner of such railroad or tramroad shall be liable for the loss of or damage to
property delivered to him to be carried only when such loss or damage shall
have been caused by negligence or a criminal act on his part or on that of his
agents.
8. Common carrier liable for loss or damage caused by neglect or fraud of
himself or his agent. -Notwithstanding anything hereinafter
contained, every common carrier shall be liable to the owner for loss of or
damage to any property delivered to such carrier to be carried where such loss
of or damage shall have arisen from the criminal act of the carrier or any of
his agents or servants and shall also be liable to the owner for loss or damage
to any of such property other than property to which the provisions of Section
3 apply and in respect of which the declaration required by that section has
not been made, where such loss or damage has arisen from the negligence of the
carrier or any of his agents or servants.
9. Plaintiffs, in suit for loss, damage, or non-delivery, not required to
prove negligence or criminal act. -In any suit brought against a common carrier for
the loss, damage or non-delivery of goods entrusted to him for carriage, it
shall not be necessary for the plaintiff to prove that such loss, damage or
non-delivery was owing to the negligence or criminal act of the carrier, his
servants or agents.
10. Notice of loss or injury to be given within six months.
-No suit shall be instituted against a common carrier for the loss of, or
injury to, goods entrusted to him for carriage, unless notice in writing of the
loss or injury has been given to him before the institution of the suit and
within six months of the time when the loss or injury first came to the
knowledge of the plaintiff.
11. State Government to add to the Schedule.
-The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, add to the
list of articles contained in the Schedule to this Act and the Schedule shall,
on the issue of any such notification, be amended to have been amended
accordingly.
Gold and silver coin.
Gold and silver in a manufactured or
unmanufactured state.
Precious stones and pearls.
Jewellery.
Time-pieces of any description.
Trinkets.
Bills and hundis.
Currency notes of the Central Government, or
notes of any Bank, or securities for payment of money, English or Foreign.
Stamps and stamped paper.
Maps, prints and works of art.
Writings.
Title deeds.
Gold or silver plate or plated articles.
Glass.
China.
Silk in a manufactured or unmanufactured
state, and whether wrought up or not wrought up with other materials.
Shawls and lace.
Clothes and tissues embroidered with the
precious metals or of which such metals form part.
Articles of ivory, ebony or sandal-wood.
Art pottery and all articles made of marble.
Furs.
Government securities.
Opium.
Coral.
Musk, Itr, Sandal-wood oil, and other
essential oils used in the preparation of Itr or other perfumes.
Musical and scientific instruments.
Feathers.
Narcotic preparations or hemp.
Crude India-rubber.
Jade, Jade-stone and amber.
Gooroochand or Gooroochandan.
Cinematograph films and apparatus.
Zahir Mohra Khatai.
Platinum.
Iridium.
Palladium.
Radium, and its preparations.
Tantalum.
Ruthenium.
Rhodium.
Agarwood.