CARGO PILLAGING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19759, 9 April 1926, Page 13

CARGO PILLAGING.

DECLINE IN LOSSES. INCREASED VIGILANCE. (From Cub Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, April 8. That losses due to cargo pillaging have shown a marked decline in the opinion of Auckland importers r and shipping agents. As instancing how rare this form of theft now is, the manager of a large warehouse staled that only two cases of pillaging had come under his notice during the past two years. Others in similar lines of business told of tlie same happy experience. For the decline in pillaging two reasons are assigned, The first is the passing of the war-time and post-wai code of reasoning that “what is yours is mine.’’ In the years immediately following the end of tlie war losses from pilaging reached unprecedented proportions, the landing of cases and packages from which goods had been abstracted being of almost daily occurrence. It is believed that this peculiar twist in public conscience, in which common honesty had no place, has disappeared with the return of more settled timet. The second reason for the decrease in pillaging is perhaps the more potent factor. Closer supervision is kept upon the unloading of vessels. Special watchmen are detailed for duty in the holds, while the police keep a vigilant eye upon operations on the waterfront generally. In the case of one vessel, which recently discharged an English cargo at Auckland, wages paid to the watchmen amounted to £BO, but this expenditure is regarded ns a good investment. It is not suggested, of course, that all pillaging takes place when ships are discharging at New Zealand ports. Frequently blame has been sheeted home to light fingered thieves handling the cargo before or while it is being placed on board ship, while pillaging has taken place during a voyage. Happily the experience of New Zealand merchants opening a case purporting to contain valuable goods and finding instead paper and old sacks and “make weights” of various descriptions is now very rare. Supervision exercised at landing ports in Great Britain has been tightened up in recent years, and this, coupled with increased vigilance in New Zealand, has reduced losses to a minimum.