CONDITIONS OF CARRIAGE
1. In these Conditions "the Carrier" means Metro Holdings
(Australasia) Pty Ltd, Metro Express Pty Ltd, Metro Express (NSW) Pty
Ltd, Metro Express (VIC) Pty Ltd, Metro Urban Pty Ltd and any other
associated, affiliated subsidiary, holding company or related entity
carrying on business in its own name and under any Business Name and its
officers, servants, agents and sub contractors. THE CARRIER IS NOT A
COMMON CARRIER and accepts no liability as such. The Carrier may refuse
the carriage of transport of goods for any person, corporation or
company and the carriage of transport of any class of goods at its
discretion.
2. The carrier accepts the goods subject to these Conditions
including the following:-
(a) That the Consignor has complied with all applicable laws
(including where necessary the Australian Code for the Transport of
Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail, Civil Aviation Regulations and the
International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code) relating to the
notification description (on the consignment note or separately)
consigning and packaging of the goods and the expenses and charges of
the Carrier in complying with any such law or with any order or
requirement there under or with the requirement of any harbour, dock,
railway, shipping, customs warehouse or other authority or company shall
be paid by the Consignor. Additional freight charges shall be paid on
such goods if deemed necessary by the Carrier.
(b) If any of the goods are subject to the control of the Customs
all customs duty, excise duty and costs which the Carrier becomes liable
to pay and shall pay in respect of such goods pursuant to any law
relating to customs or excise shall be paid by the Consignor.
(c) That the Consignor has fully adequately described the goods
on the consignment note.
(d) The Carrier shall not be bound by any agreement purporting to
vary these conditions unless such agreement is in writing and signed on
behalf of the Carrier by an authorised officer.
(e) The Carrier is entitled to open any document wrapping package
or other container in which the goods are placed or carried to inspect
the goods either to determine their nature or condition or to determine
their ownership or destination where any consignment note or identifying
document or mark is lost, damaged, destroyed or defaced
3. (a) SUBJECT TO CLAUSES 18 AND 20 HEREOF THE CARRIER
SHALL NOT BE UNDER ANY LIABILITY whether in tort or contract or
otherwise for any loss of or damage to or misdelivery, delay in
delivery, concealed damage, deterioration, contamination, evaporation,
non-delivery of goods held in its care, custody or control or any
consequential loss arising there from howsoever caused including but not
limited to any negligence or breach of contract or willful act or
omission by the Carrier.
(b) In the event of this contract of carriage
including any handling installation, removal, assembly or erection of
any kind whatsoever arising (including but not limited to any negligence
or breach of contract by the Carrier) cause or incurred or incurring
during any part of the movement. The disclaimer extends to include not
only loss of or damage to itemised equipment itself but loss damage or
injury to any person property or thing damaged during any part of the
movement. The disclaimer extends to include not only loss of or damage
to itemised equipment itself but loss or injury aforesaid howsoever
caused including but not limited to any negligence or breach of contract
by the Carrier.
4. These Conditions shall apply to the container or containers
or other packaging containing the goods and to any pallet or pallets
delivered with the goods to the Carrier. The Consignor shall be
responsible for the conformity of such containers packaging and pallets
with any requirements of the Consignee and for any expenses incurred by
the Carrier arising from any failure so to conform.
5. Freight shall be considered earned whether the goods are
delivered to the Consignee or not, and whether damaged or otherwise.
Under no circumstances will any payment for freight be refunded.
6. Every subject instruction to the effect that charges shall be
paid by the Consignee shall be deemed to include a stipulation that if
the Consignee does not pay the said charges within seven days of the
date set for payment or, if no date is set for payment within seven days
of delivery or tendered delivery of the goods then the Consignor shall
pay the said charges.
7. The Carrier may charge freight by weight, measurement, value
or time and may at any time re-weigh or re-value or re-measure or
require the goods to be re-weighed, re-valued or re-measured and charge
proportional additional freight accordingly.
8. These conditions shall be governed and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State in which the consignment note is
issued and any proceedings against the Carrier shall be brought in that
State and not elsewhere within twelve months from the date of contract.
9. Should the consignee named on the consignment note not be in
attendance during normal trading hours or at the time specified, or if
the Carrier arrives to effect delivery at the Consignee's premises and
is delayed in effecting prompt delivery at the said premises for any
reason whatsoever outside the Carrier's control, then the Carrier
reserves the right to make an additional charge for every call made or
for the amount of time of any delay until delivery is effected.
10. The Carrier will deliver goods at intermediate points only by
special arrangement and then only provided suitable facilities are
available at all hours.
11. The Carrier may carry all goods or have them carried or on
forwarded by any method which the Carrier in its absolute discretion
deems fit and notwithstanding any instructions verbal or otherwise that
the goods are to be carried by a certain mode. The Carrier reserves the
right to charge for demurrage at the rate charged to the Carrier
directly or indirectly by any Railway or Shipping Authority or by any
other person firm or company.
12. The Carrier may arrange for the carriage of the goods by any
independent contractor or sub-contractor of the Carrier.
13. In respect of any Clause herein which excludes or in any way
limits the liability of the Carrier in respect of the carriage of goods,
the Carrier in addition to acting for himself is acting is acting as
agent of and trustee for each of his servants and subcontractors and
also any other person or company with whom the Carrier may arrange for
the carriage of the goods and the servants of such person or company so
that his servants and subcontractors and such person or company and his
or its servants are parties to this contract so far as the said clause
or clauses containing exclusions or omissions or liability are concerned
and if in so far as may be necessary to give effect to this clause the
Carrier shall hold the benefit of these conditions for his servants and
subcontractors and for any such person or company and his or its
servants.
14. All the rights, immunities and limitations of liability in the
above conditions of carriage shall continue to have their full force and
effect in all circumstances and notwithstanding any breach of contract
or of any conditions hereof by the Carrier.
15. PACKING. In regard to goods which the Carrier has been
requested by the Consignor to pack and which are described on the face
hereof, the Carrier shall not be liable for any damage or loss
whatsoever whether in the course of packing or in transit or otherwise
and howsoever occasioned to the said goods or any of them.
16. When the Carrier is required to load or unload any liquids,
part liquids, substance or any commodities or products into bulk tanks
or vessels, drums or containers he shall not be liable for any loss,
damage or contamination of the product during any such loading or
unloading operation or packing, whilst such product is in transit by any
means of transportation or whilst goods are held in store or bulk
storage tanks for any reason whatsoever.
17. The goods are accepted subject to a general lien for all
charges now due or which may hereafter become due to the Carrier by the
Consignor on any account whether in respect of the goods comprised
herein or in respect of any other goods for which the Carrier provides
transport or any other service. If the lien is not satisfied and/or the
goods are not collected, the Carrier may at its option and without any
notice, in the case of perishable goods forthwith and in any other case
upon the expiration of one month either (i) remove such goods or part
thereof and store them in such place and manner as the Carrier shall
think proper and at the risk and expense of the Consignor or as the case
may be or (ii) open any package and sell such goods or part thereof upon
such terms as it shall think fit and apply the proceeds in or towards
discharge of the lien and costs of sale without being liable to any
person for any loss or damage thereby caused.
18. All damage must be notified in writing to the office of the
company within 3 working days from expected delivery date and claims for
goods lost in transit must be notified in writing to the office of the
company within 7 days from the expected delivery date otherwise claims
will not be recognised.
19. The Consignor authorises the Carrier (if the Carrier should
think fit so to do) to contract either in the Carrier's name as
principal or as agent for the carriage of the goods, or for leasing or
using any container in which the goods may be placed or packed and to
give any receipt for the goods or any container whether subject to any
terms and conditions or not and any such contract will be made upon the
terms and subject to the conditions of any bill of lading or other forms
or terms of contract for carriage whether by sea, rail, road or air or
of any lease agreement, equipment hand-over agreement interchange
receipt or any other document as the case may require.
20. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS HEREOF THEY SHALL BE READ
SUBJECT TO ANY IMPLIED TERMS, CONDITIONS OR WARRANTIES IMPOSED BY THE
TRADE PRACTICES ACT 1974 (CMTH) OR ANY OTHER COMMONWEALTH OR STATE
LEGISLATION INSOFAR AS SUCH MAY BE APPLICABLE AND PREVENTS EITHER
EXPRESSLY OR IMPLIEDLY THE EXCLUSION OR MODIFICATION OF ANY SUCH TERM,
CONDITION OR WARRANTY.