FAN MILK LTD. vs. STATE SHIPPING CORPORATION [1971]DLSC2110

Date	1971-02-10
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1971]DLSC2110

HAYFRON-BENJAMIN J.

R KORSAH FOR THE PLAINTIFFS.

M.A . F. RIBEIRO STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE DEFENDANTS.

[1971]DLSC2110
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >FAN MILK LTD.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;vs. <o:p></o:p>STATE SHIPPING CORPORATION <o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT,
ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[1971] 1 GLR 238<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

DATE:
10 FEBRUARY 1971.<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

R KORSAH
FOR THE PLAINTIFFS.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

HAYFRON-BENJAMIN J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF HAYFRON-BENJAMIN J.<o:p></o:p>The
plaintiffs by their endorsement on the writ of summons claim the sum of
N¢4,081.70 being damages occasioned to the plaintiffs by reason of the
negligence or breach of duty or both on the part of the defendants, their
servants or agents. The statement of claim shows that by a contract contained
in a bill of lading dated 28 October 1968, the defendants acknowledged the
shipment on board their vessel the Otchi River in apparent good order and
condition, of 400 cartons of butter oil for carriage to and delivery at Tema in
the like good order and condition, for an agreed freight. The bill of lading
was made subject to the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1924 (14 &amp; 15 Geo. 5,
c. 22), and the rules scheduled thereto. The plaintiffs claim that in breach of
their duty under the said bill of lading or as carriers for reward or both the
defendants failed to deliver the said butter oil in the like good order and
condition as when shipped but have delivered same in a damaged state. The
defendants deny the breach of duty and contend that the plaintiff was guilty of
negligence by failing to pack the said butter oil in a manner consistent with
the carriage of butter oil from a cool to a hot climate. The defendants denied
liability to pay damages by virtue of article 4, rule 2 (m) of the Schedule to
the Bills of Lading Act, 1961 (Act 42). This article provides:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“2.
Neither the carrier nor the ship shall be responsible for loss or damage
arising or resulting from– ....<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(m)
Wastage in bulk or weight or any other loss or damage arising from inherent
defect, quality or vice of the goods.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>No other
section of the Act was pleaded by the defendants.<o:p></o:p>At the
hearing of the case counsel for the defendants raised two preliminary
objections to the hearing by this court of the suit. The first is that this
action is statute-barred having regard to the provisions of article III, r. 6
of the Hague Rules as contained in the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1924
(supra), or Act 42. This provides inter alia that, “In any event the carrier
and the ship shall be discharged from all liability in respect of loss or
damage unless suit is brought within one year after delivery of the goods or
the date when the goods should have been delivered.” In the Supreme [High]
Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 1954<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>(L.N.
140A), Order 19, r. 16 provides that:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“The
defendant or plaintiff (as the case may be) must raise by his pleading all
matters which show the action or counterclaim not to be maintainable, or that
the transaction is either void or voidable in point of law, and all such
grounds of defence or reply, as the case may be, as if not raised would be
likely to take the opposite party by surprise, or would raise issues of fact
not arising out of the preceding pleadings, as, for instance, fraud, Statute of
Limitations, release, payment, performance, facts showing illegality either by
statute or common law, or Statute of Frauds.”<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>