CARGO PILLAGING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17580, 20 September 1920, Page 4

CARGO PILLAGING.

SOUTHERN FIRMS' LOSSES.

GRAMAPHONES DISAPPEAR.

WHOLESALE THEFTS IN AMERICA

[BY TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

CHBISTCHTJRCH. Saturday.

The pillaging of oversea cargo has now reached an alarming stage. The experience of Robert Francis, Limited, musicimporters, is illustrative of the wholesale manner in which the pillaging is carried out. The manufacturers pack their gramaphones in stoutly-built and clamped cases about 4ft. 6in. high. The consignment concerned was shipped from New York. Out of 11 cases,' seven were found to be minus the machines. In another lot of 14 it has so far been ascertained that nine are without machines.

Another Christen firm, in respect of a shipment just to Hand, found the cases denuded of soaps of a value of many hundreds of pounds. There are numerous other instances of large losses relating to shipments from New York during the past few weeks. The evidence seems clear that the pillaging was done in America.

Pillaging is always going on in all countries, but it has never been on such i wholesale scale as at present in America. There are often losses in respect of goods from the United Kingdom, but these are relatively small.

The position is getting worse with Japan. One Cbristchurch importing firm had a number of empty cases delivered which should have contained crepe-de-chine. The loss in this instance was over £150.

RUBBISH REPLACES CAMERAS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

WELLINGTON, Saturday.

On the arrival of the City of Corinth from America a few days ago a consignment of cameras was found to be missing, rubbish being substituted. It is believed that the pillaging took place in America.