Offences which are within that class are usually of a comparatively minor character, and it would be a surprising result of this delegated legislation if a person who was morally inno cent of blame could be held vicariously liable for a serv ant 's crime and so punishable ' with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years. ' Their Lordships agree with the view which was recently expressed by the Lord Chief Justice of England, when he said: ' It is in my opinion of the utmost importance for the protection of the liberty of the subject that a court should always bear in mind that, unless the statute, either clearly or by necessary implica tion rules out mens rea as a constituent part of a crime, a defendant should not be found guilty of an offence against the criminal law unless he has got a guilty mind: Brend vs Wood(2) '" In our opinion, the view of the law as propounded by the Privy Council is the correct view, and, applying it to the present case, it is difficult to hold the appellant guilty of the offence under clause 22 read with clause 5 of the Motor Spirit Rationing Order, 1941.