AVOIDANCE OF PILLAGING

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25678, 15 December 1948, Page 4

AVOIDANCE OF PILLAGING

BULK CONTAINERS ADVOCATED (P.A.) AUCKLAND, December 14. In an effort to regain the trade lost by the transfer of cargo to air freight, the New Zealand Shipowners’ Federation is advocating the use of large bulk containers for the carriage of flimsy types of packages by sea. In a letter received by the Auckland Harbour Board, the federation said that the transfer of substantial quantities of cargo to air freight could be partly attributed to the danger of pillaging. “The view is taken by the owners of cargo that any addition by way of freight for air carriage is onset by the reduced cost of packaging §nd the certainty of goods arriving in an unpillaged state,” said the letter. 1 j rge bulk containers could be packed on the wharves at ships’ sides, or in sheds at the port of shipment, and unpacked on the wharves at the port of destination. The question of wharfage on bulk containers, and also of the attitude towards their use had been discussed with officials of the Wellington Harbour Board, said the federation. However, the board had sought wharfage on the containers M well as on the cargo, an attitude unfavourable to the plan. In recent years, shipowners had had to make very substantial payments M a result of the pillage of cargo. The shortage of goods had been a material reason for the increased pillage costs, and the shortage of suitable packaging materials during the war had contributed to the ease of pillaging. The federation had been frustrated in an endeavour to form a standard packaging code under the Standards Institute. , federation’s letter was referred to the board in committee.