I have never before seen written down any law which explains what use may be made of the fact that you sent a letter to someone containing allegations which are not denied by a letter in response. It is quite common to see lawyers’ letters which say ‘We note for the record that we do not accept the accuracy of your version of what I said to you in our telephone conversation’, which makes good common sense, and there is in fact some law on the point. In C B and M Design Solutions Pty Ltd v Pumptech Tasmania Pty Ltd [2007] TASSC 103, Justice Crawford said:
‘[11] Statements made to a party in correspondence may be evidence against that party of the truth of the matters stated, if by that party’s answer or silence it acquiesced in their contents. Whiting v Whiting [1947] SASR 363. A failure to dispute or challenge matters of fact asserted in correspondence received, may amount to an admission of the accuracy of those matters. Whether it does or not will depend on the circumstances, including the conduct of the parties before and after the date of the correspondence in question. Wiedemann v Walpole [1891] 2 QB 534. If a reply could reasonably have been expected if the matters of fact were inaccurate, and no reply was forthcoming, then it may amount to an admission. Young v Tibbits (1912) 14 CLR 114.’
