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No. 3 of 1870.
General
Limitation of Innkeeper's Liability.
Limitation of Innkeeper's Liability where goods not deposited for safe custody.
Innkeeper to receive property of guest for safe custody.
INNKEEPERS' LIABILITY.
"Innkeeper" means the keeper of any such place and includes a public company.
3. An innkeeper shall in no case be liable to make good to his guest any loss of or injury to goods or property brought to his inn by such guest, unless the same have or has been stolen, lost, or injured through the wilful act, default, or neglect of such innkeeper or any servant in his employ: Provided always that, in any action or other proceeding instituted to recover compensation for such loss or injury, the fact of such loss or injury shall be deemed prima facie evidence of negligence, and that no innkeeper shall be entitled to the benefit of this section unless he shows that he used the utmost care that could be reasonably expected of him to protect his guest against such loss or injury.
4. An innkeeper shall not be liable to make good to his guest any loss of or injury to goods or property brought to his inn by such guest to a greater amount than 500 dollars, unless such goods or property have or has been deposited with him for safe custody, under the provisions next hereinafter contained: Provided always that this section shall not be deemed to limit the liability of the innkeeper in any case where there is proof of any wilful act, neglect, or default, or of fraud or collusion in connexion with such loss or injury, on the part of the innkeeper himself or of any manager or other person entrusted by him with the general control and management of the inn.
5. Every innkeeper shall be bound to receive from his guest on demand, for the purpose of safe custody, any goods or property, and to give a deposit note stating the value thereof, subject to the following conditions:
(1) that the guest shall, at the time of such deposit, declare the value of such goods or property; and
(2) that the guest shall, if so required by the innkeeper, provide a box or other receptacle for such deposit and fasten and seal the same:
Provided always that the innkeeper may refuse to receive for safe custody goods or property of any one guest, the declared value of which exceeds 5,000 dollars, and that he shall in no case be liable for loss of or injury to goods or property so deposited by a guest to an amount exceeding the declared value thereof.
*As amended by No. 50 of 1911.
As amended by No. 62 of 1911.