THEFTS FROM HARBOUR SHED

Evening Star, Issue 19994, 11 October 1928, Page 14

THEFTS FROM HARBOUR SHED

BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY TESTED [Peb United Pbbss Association.] WELLINGTON, October 10. Last January a number of seamen from the Tairoa entered the Pipitea wharf shed and illaged some cargo. They appeared before Mr E. Page, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court today. Levin and Co. and S. E. Cooper, . Ltd., claimed £2 ICs 4d and £4O 11s lid respectively from the Wellington Harbour Hoard, alleging: that the loss was due to the board through its servants’ failure to take due and proper and reasonable care of the goods. Mr O’Leary, who appeared for tho plaintiffs, submitted that the onus was on the board to prove that all reasonable care was taken to prevent theft, and contended that this had not been done, first by not naving the shed properly searched, and, secondly, by not taking steps to prevent a person (if he did secrete himself in the shed) from getting out For the defence, Mr Stevenson .id the case was of the greatest important to the ard on a matter of principle whether or not the board was liable in regard to theft from its sheds, It had always understood i* was not, and in consequence the charges, which year after year had been cut down, did not purport to allow , for insurance against theft. The magistrate reserved his decision.