Cargo Pillaging More Rampant In New Zealand

Grey River Argus, 21 March 1947, Page 5

Cargo Pillaging More Rampant In New Zealand

AUCKLAND, March 20

Cargo pillaging apepars to have reached a new level here with the discovery by an Auckland wholesale distributing’firm of widespread theft and damage to a consignment of tinned pineapple juice. On delivery from the wharf it was discovered that many tins had vanished and scores were punctured and the contents missing.

The shipment, which was packed by the Colonial Sugar Refining Company, was a summer pack for distribution throughout New Zealand. Mcst of it was loaded at Lautoka, Fiji, in the steamer Mount Park, now discharging at Auckland. Advice received by the merchants here is that I hero is no evidence of pillaging at Fiji, the fruit being tallied into the vessel and a clean bill of lading given. The Auckland distributors believe that most of the pillaging must have been done at this end.

It is feared that further heavy losses and damage will be disclosed when the remainder of the consignment comes to hand. “This is typical of the shipments of canned fruit coming to the Dominion,” said a distributing executive to-day. “Some of the consignment went to Dunedin by the vessel Orari and 24 cases of this shipment completely disappeared.” ’