HANDLING OF SHIPS’ CARGOES

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23740, 11 September 1942, Page 4

HANDLING OF SHIPS’ CARGOES

SCHEME TO PREVENT DELAYS (P.A.) WELLINGTON. September 10. The primary objective of the Cargo Control Emergency Regulations gazetted to-night is to prevent delays m shipping through inability to handle rapidly the discharge of cargo. The regulations authorise the appointment of committees at Auckland and Wellington representative of shipping companies and merchants, the Railways Department, the Customs Department, the Ministry of Supply, the Waterfront Commission, the Carriers’ Association, and the harbour boards Actually, these committees have been in operation for some time, but the regulations give them the necessary legal status. The committees will have power to call on merchants,to keep their stores open, and on carriers to take delivery of goods during overtime hours on holidays and Sundays, to provide the necessary clearance of sheds to prevent the holding-up of shipping. They also empower the committees to make storage space available off wharves where this is found necessary, If a committee directs a consignee to keep his store open and a carrier Jk6' work overtime, the additional expenditure involved in working such /overtime will be met from the Expenses Account. j As a general rule a committee will call on consignees to remove goods, but if they are not removed within a reasonable time the committee may remove the goods, and the additional expense will be charged against the consignee. However, where the consignee has not had ample opportunity to remove the goods and they are handled by the committee’s representatives, the extra charges will be met from the War Expenses Account.