IN NBUTRALSPORTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3126, 3 July 1917, Page 7

IN NBUTRALSPORTS

INTERNED CARGOES STILL HELD. At'yesterday's meeting of tho Wellington Chamber of Commerce, a letter was recoivod from Mr. Herbert Boss, importer and exporter, regarding claims for loss on cargo detained illegally by captains .find owners of vessols. Mr. Ross .wroto: "I think it is beyond doubt that .heavy loss waii forced on various merchants timiußliout Now Zealand by illog;il detention of goods by owners, ami I would respectfully suggest that tho Chamber anproaon the Government to press for coini)onsa.tion for losses on euch cargo, claims to be paid out of enemy property funas lield by the Public Trustee. Ono lino alone in which I was interested Bhowwi a loss of, roughly, .£3OO, so that in tho aggregate-' it seems to ino that tho total losses in New Zealand must have been severe and worthy of attention."

To tnat Jotter the seoretarr (Mr. H. W. Vickery) Raid he had replied that ho had kept in touch with the Melbourne and Sydney Chambers of Commerce. "Ah you know,"'road the secretary's letter, "the Hydnoy Chamber, in conjunction with its Java Shjpa. Committee, dealt with the matter of endeavouring to obtain deliveries, and the claims raado to tho Prize Claims Committee woro, by consent, dealt with by the Melbourne Chambor of Commorco," . . •

Tho latest information was contained in the following report from tko Melbourne Chamber of Commerce: "It is estimated that tho additional costs lo which merchants have been put in obtaining 'their cargo on enemy vessels captured or interned in . British ports amounts to nearly JBIO,OOO. This docs not include the additional costs incurred In connection with vessels sheltering in neutral porta. The British. Imperial Government has established in London a Prizo Claims Committee for tho purpose of dealing with these vessels, and claims wero submitted to them on behalf of tho various merchants of tho Commonwealth. Tho assistunco of tho. Comptrollor-Gon-eral of Customs,' the Minister of Customs, the London Chamber of Commerce, Sir Georgo Reid, and .others, woro invoked, but tho rcpb'es received from the Prize Claims Committee in London were to tho effect that the claims had been considered 1y the committee, but they did not come within tho scope of reference 'lo them. Further correspondence has taken taken, find the London ChamW of Commerce and others have again been oomraunicaled with, and replies to these letters are now awaited. Immediately these are received further action will, if considered necessary, lie taken."