PILFERAGE OF CARGO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17866, 22 August 1921, Page 7

PILFERAGE OF CARGO.

PROTECTIVE PROPOSALS.

A further report was. issued recently by the Pilferage Committer appointed by the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom.

Among the recommendations is one that the custom of issuing bills of lading for goods " received for shipment," except where the circumstances make no other form appropriate, should be discouraged, as it gives scope for pilferage, and in no case should shipowners, under whatsoever pressure from merchants, issue a "shipped" bill of lading until the goods are on board the steamer, as the difficulties of protecting the steamer against claims for pilferage which may have happened before shipment are thereby greatly increased.

Discussing the London police scheme for the supervision of cargoes, the committee states that this is very effective where adopted, but, owing to lack of support, the scheme is about to be withdrawn from certain docks in London which are chiefly used by lines not controlled in London. It is understood, however, that the police authorities are seriously considering the extension of the London special dock police scheme to the whole of the river, which the head of the dock police has stated could be done at a cost of about £50,000 per annum with 200 additional men.

Schemes on a basis very similar to that which has been in force in LDndon for the last 12 months are being inaugurated in several of the Australian States on the basis of a levy on the steamers of from l£d to 2d per ton of cargo handled, End it is very satisfactory to find, states the committee, that the labour unions, as a, rule, are not averse to these means of purging their membership of the less desirable characters and of maintaining the reputation of working men for common honesty.

The committee adds that it has very carefully considered, with expert assists ance, a number of devices to make pilferage on board ship more difficult, and it is preparing a schedule containing some suggestions of this character which maybe useful to shipowners.