§ 37 Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked whether, in the event of an accident on the road between a Post Office motor or other vehicle and motor cars, carts, cycles, or other vehicles belonging to the public, when the driver of the Post Office vehicle is proved to have caused the accident, the Post Office repudiate liability on the ground that the driver is the servant of a Government Department; and, if so, why such a plea is entered, 429 looking to the fact that private persons, on being proved to have caused similar accidents, are mulcted in damages to the injured persons?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI am advised that, as an officer of the Crown, I am not legally liable for the acts or defaults of any Post Office servant. Nevertheless, it is the practice of the Post Office to entertain reasonable claims for injury or damage which are shown to be due to negligence on the part of a Post Office servant. The drivers of mail vans are, however, in general not servants of the Crown, but of a contractor.