INTERNED STEAMERS.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2368, 26 January 1915, Page 9

INTERNED STEAMERS.

NEW ZEALAND CARGO

THE PRESENT POSITION A meeting of Wellington consignees was held at the Chamber of Commerce last week, and a committee appointed to deal with data required from owners of oargo on interned ships in order if possible to obtain the goods already bought and paid for; it was resolved at that meeting that Gollin and Company Proprietary, Ltd., should represent Wellington' consignees at- a conference then to be held in Sydney. That conference was held, and Gollin and 00. have since cabled to their. Wellington branch as follows:—"Conference decided send representative Java deal with all interned steamers with full power to act as necessary. Will all consignees give authority sign necessary full power attorney, preliminary expenses one centum valuecargo 1 and possibly further one and half. Reply promptly, signatures of consignees imperative later.'' Mr. H. D. Vickery (secretary of the Chamber of Commerce) requests all consignees to send to him at once ajl papers, bills of lading, insurance pohoies, and other documents relatingto oargo on the interned steamers. This follows on the instructions of : the committee acting for oonsignees. : In addition to German steamers with oargo for New Zealand to-be transhipped in Australia there was the German liner Wismar, which was on her way to New Zealand when the war broke out with superphosphates and general cargo. Getting wind of the war, 'the W ißllmr steered straight for Java, and she is now thero in the safety of neutral waters. A meeting of consignees of oargo in the Wismar is to be held at the Chamber of Commerce-at 8 p.m. to-day to consider what shall bo done to secure their interests.. '

The superphosphates have been sold in Java to tobacco and sugar planters at a price in the interests of consignees. This arrangement was made by Mr. Martin, of Wright, Stephenson and Co.. acting under the powers of attorney offive firms.

The Wellington consignees' . meeting decided to ask Wright, Stephenson,-and 00. if they would ascertain if Mr,; Martin would be willing to aot in consignees' interests in interned steamers. Mr. Martin suggested 'that tho 'consignees should appoint the Rotterdam Trading Co. to watoh their interests, and that powers of attorney, bills of lading,-.in-surance policies, and other necessary documents should be posted to them. The banks must guarantee disbursements.

Yesterday the secretary of the Chamber of Commerce received the following telegram from Wright, Stephenson, and Co., covering a cablegram from Mr. Martin, now at Sourabaya, Java:—"l refused 6ign general average owing . agents insisting handing them payments ineide Court on neutral bank. Agents demand deposit Court full value cargo till duplicates, triplicates lading received. Am instituting legal proceedings get goods without sighing average. Lawyers consider case good; probably cost hundred pounds. Wire your authority. Am prepared act all New Zealand consignees, they paying proportional expenses. They sliould give Rotterdam Trading Co. full powers attorney documents. First-class house financially commercially. We effeot sales together, they attend finance, conditions, payments, averages, other steamers exactly Bame Wismar. 1 ' Thk is the position to date.