LOST CARGOES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 30, 5 February 1941, Page 13

LOST CARGOES

INSURANCE CLAIMS

MANY DIFFICULTIES

UNIFORMITY URGED

Difficulties suffered by merchants who have lost goods at sea and have so far been unable to adjust their insurance claims Were outlined at the Wellington Chamber of Commerce last evening, when steps were urged to secure some uniform procedure in this respect.

The secretary, Mr. E. M. Bardsley, said merchants had been unable to gel a satisfactory adjustment1 of their insurance claims through the British Government. In one particular instance, biils had been met three times through the goods being transferred from one ship to another. Notwithstanding these three payments on the same goods, no satisfaction had been gained from the British Government in meeting the insurance claims.

Mr. Barton Ginger said this was by no means an isolated instance. He was aware of several, and there was no indication of when the British Government would meet the claims.

A member: Has anyone yet received an adjustment of a war claim?

Mr. Bardsley: That is what I want to know. J. know of flpne• « Mr. Carter said he understood that when goods were lost they were replaced and payment made by the British Government.

Mr. W. H. Hindle said there was no uniformity about the procedure, and agents, insurance companies, and banks were bewildered. It would be in the interests of the whole commercial community if some uniform method were adopted. Merchants had a right to know what to expect if cargoes were lost.

The chamber adopted Mr. Hindle's motion that the Associated Chambers of Commerce be asked to confer with the banks with a view to devising some uniform procedure in the handling of insurance claims on goods lost in this way.