ENORMOUS GROWTH OF THEFTS OF CARGO

Evening Star, Issue 26153, 15 July 1947, Page 8

ENORMOUS GROWTH OF THEFTS OF CARGO

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 14. “ Members of the New Zealand Shipowners’ Federation are very concerned at the action of the Lyttelton Waterside Workers’ Union in refusing to work to-day as a mark of the union’s disapproval of the methods used by a detective at that port in obtaining evidence about pillage from a coastal vessel,” says a federation. statement. “ The amount paid for pillaged and short-landed cargo has grown to such an extent that it behoves everybody and every organisation connected with the coastal carriage of goods to use its best endeavours to eliminate these costs. “ Members are very disturbed at tlie cost involved and the dissastifaetion to consignees. The position calls for drastic action. Figures for pillaged and short-landed goods, paid for by New Zealand companies have been taken out for the last eight years, and are as follows (exclusive of damaged cargo and claims paid by overseas shipowners and New Zealand Railways at railway ports:—l939, £5,069 17s lOd ; 1940, £4,968 7s lOd; 1941, £4,914 7s 8d; 1942, £7,536 19s 7d; 1943, £10,221 Is 9d; 1944, £11,269 12s 6d; 1945/ £15,951 ss; 1946, £21,390 7s, lOd. “ These figures surely call for some immediate attention.”