"BILLAGING ON INCREASE"

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24386, 12 October 1944, Page 4

"BILLAGING ON INCREASE"

, ' ' ♦— STRONGER MEASURES TO BE URGED f FIRMS REPORT HEAVY LOSSES ’ Endeavours to have stronger measures taken against the theft of goods in transit between the North Island and the South Island are to be urged on the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation by the Men’s and Boys’ Outer Clothing Trade Group, said the chairman of the group (Mr C..8, Myhre) in am interview with "The Press” yesterday. The group, he said, intended to take up with the federation the question of the. liability of shipping companies in such cases of theft. At present- the companies refused to recognise any claims made on them. The group expressed the opinion that there was not sufficient supervision in Harbour Board sheds either in Wellington or Lyttelton, and that this state of affairs was, not conducive .to the reduction of these thefts. -

"After a period in which losses from this cause were comparatively small, pillaging, is again definitely on the increase,” said Mr R. T. Alston, secretary to the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association, yesterday. “Reports to this association in the last two months show that many firms have suffered substantial losses of goods.” From a recent consignment to Wellington by a Christchurch firm a complete carton of 36 pairs of women’s shoes, valued at-'£so, was lost. Not even the carton in which the shoes were packed had since been- found. Out of a carton of sandals 28 pairs valued at £ls had, been stolen, and another carton of children’s footwear was rejected at the ship because> it was found that the carton had been slashed. In this case the oontents had been interfered with, but none taken. Another case rep.orted to the association, said Mr Alston, was the loss of suit material consigned oh an English ship. - One piece of worsfeduvalued at £54, was missing from the bale when the consignment was received by the importers.