FAULTY PACKING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21979, 25 March 1946, Page 2

FAULTY PACKING

HAY CARGO LOSSES SOUTHERN SHIPMENT BALING WIRE SHORTAGE (P.A.) AUCKLAND. March 25. An estimated loss of as much as 10 per cent of the full cargo of haled hay brought to Auckland from Dunedin and Timaru at the end of last week by the Union Steam Ship Company steamer Karetu is expected to result from the faulty packing of the bales and from handling during transit from farm to consignee. The Karetu made a special voyage with hay fo assist in relieving the fodder shortage in .the Auckland area, 24,000 bales being carried, most of them from Timaru.

Because of the shortage of baling wire, many of the bales were bound with twine, which proved a poor substitute in view of the repeated handlings en route. When the hatches were opened at Auckland and the discharge of cargo began it was found that many of the bales had already burst. The conditions caused by the combined loose hay and dust in the confines of the holds were so poor for working that the watersiders on the ship were granted an increase of 2d an hour as dirt money for handling fodder in the sheds at the Karetu’s berth on Saturday. Large piles of loose hay had been formed and an inspection showed that many of the intact bales were not in good condition for further travelling. This was shown in Quay street, where streams of lorries carrying bales from the wharf left small heaps of hay in the roadway.