Schenker International (Australia) & Anor v Siemens Ltd [2002] NSWCA 172

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Schenker International (Australia) & Anor v Siemens Ltd [2002] NSWCA 172 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40760 of 2001 HEARING DATE(S) : 18/04/02 JUDGMENT DATE : 11 June 2002

Schenker International (Australia) Pty Ltd and PARTIES : Schenker International Deutschland GMBH v Siemens Ltd JUDGMENT OF : Meagher JA at 1; Sheller JA at 13; Stein JA at 40

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court LOWER COURT SC 50152 of 1998 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Barrett J JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : Appellant: A Meagher SC & R Darke SC Respondent: C Needham SC & J Roberts SOLICITORS : Appellant: Blake Dawson Waldron Respondent: O'Reilly Sever & Co CATCHWORDS : Section 11 Civil Aviation (Carriers Liability) Act 1959 - damage to goods - whether Chapter 3 Articles 18 and 22 applied - whether Clause 4 of the House Airway Bill operated to limit the carrier's liability for negligence - appeal allowed. Civil Aviation (Carriers Liability) Act 1959 LEGISLATION CITED : Warsaw Convention at the Hague 28 September 1955 Customs Act 1901 Carriage of Goods by Road Act 1965 (UK) Victoria Sales Corporation v Emery Air Freight Inc 917 F2d 705 (2nd Circulation 1990) Quantum Corporation Ltd v Plane Trucking Ltd [2001] 2 LloydsLR 133 Aerofloral Inc v Rodricargo Express Corporation 756 So 2R 234 (2000) CASES CITED: Read-rite Corporation v Burlington Air Express Ltd 186 F 3d 1190 (1999) Adler v Dickson [1955] 1 Qb 158 Port Jackson Stevedoring Pty Limited v Salmond & Spraggon (Australia) Pty Limited (1980) 144 CLR 300 Samuel Montagu & Co v Swiss Air Transport Co Ltd [1966] 1 Lloyd's Rep 323 at 326 Read-rite Corporation & American Homes Assurance Company v Burlington Air Express Ltd (1998) US Dist LEXIS 21523, Cl 4 DECISION : 1. Appeal allowed; 2. Judgment given by Barrett J in favour of the Respondent on 31 August 2001 be set aside and in lieu thereof there be judgment for the Respondent in the sum of US$74,680.00 plus interest from 23 July 1997 to 31 August 2001; 3. That the issues relating to the applicable rates of interest on both the pre and post judgment amounts be remitted to the trial judge for determination; 4. That the issue of costs in the proceedings in the Court below be remitted to the trial Judge for determination; 5. That the issue of costs of appeal be determined by further application to this Court.