THREE-YEAR TASK

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 16, 20 January 1939, Page 10

THREE-YEAR TASK

FIRE ON RIMUTAKA. EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. ADJUSTMENTS IN AUCKLAND. The opinion is current in shipping circles in Auckland that it will take three years to finalise all details in connection with the damage caused by tire to the cargo of the Uimutaka last week. The amount of work involved is enormous and on it* completion, round about 1042. the information will bo printed in book form, tilling over 100 pages. Although the insurance assessors have been working constantly since the first of the damaged cargo was landed from the Xo. 3 hold, it will be several months before any, indication can be given of the exact monetary value of the damage to the goods. This delay is due to the fact that the consignees are located at various parts of the Dominion. There are 1500 tons of cargo in the hold, but of this only .">OO tons was for Auckland. The greater portion of the balance is for Wellington, but there are consignments for southern towns, also a small quantity for tin- I»lands. In each case the consignee must confer with the insurance assessors, so that there will have to be a total clearance of the cargo before the losses are known. In Auckland there have already been a number of adjustments made. In most cases the consignees have agreed to the verdict of the assessors and'have taken delivery of the damaged goods with an allowance for damage caused. In others they have refused to take delivery and these goods will be sold at auction. The first of such sales is to be held next week. Some of the goods have been damaged to the extent of 2o per cent and others 100 per cent. In others again the loss is greater still, as it is impossible to replace the goods destroyed owing to import restrictions. The damage to the ship itself is not considerable, although the company will be involved in heavy loss by virtue of the large amount it will hiive to pay into the general average pool, this amounting to 10 per cent of the actual Value of the vessel. Considering that there was a heat of 300 degrees in the hold at the height of the tiie it is remarkable that there was so little structural damage. Some of the steel decking has been buckled and woodwork has been charred, while paint will have to be renewed. However this will not in any way affect the seaworthiness of the ship, and it is expected that she will sail to-night for Wellington to continue discharging cargo. It is not considered necessary that the Rimutaka should dock for ait overhaul on her return to England as necessary repairs can be made afloat. When the considerable amount of clerical work involved in Xew Zealand is completed, the documents will be sent to the general average assessors in London. The firm that will be undertaking the work has been in existence for 100 years, doing this class of work only. It is a highly-specialised task and will occupy a special staff for over a year. The costs involved will run into several thousands of pounds, which will be defrayed from the general average fund.