Currently the HTML writer sets border=1 on the table element. Setting this attribute might be considered a bug, since setting the border attribute cannot be overridden by styling the table element (with CSS).
This is a styling decision, and should go in the style sheet. Possible approaches are discussed here:
http://article.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/4790
This is a question of aesthetics and practicality, not a bug.
See the thread: http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/4788
Especially http://article.gmane.org/gmane.text.docutils.user/4799