CARGO IN SHEDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26778, 22 May 1948, Page 6

CARGO IN SHEDS

DENIAL OF DELAY REPLY TO BOARD CHAIRMAN A VIGOROUS RETORT “The chairman of the Otago Harbour Board, Mr W. R. Clarke, should at least ascertain the facts of the case before speaking about unclaimed cargo in wharf sheds as he did at the board meeting on Thursday night,” Mr A. V. Gain told the Daily Times yesterday. Mr Clarke had said that although the Wainui had begun to unload her cargo on May 14, about 3000 or 4000 cases of canned goods were still lying in the wharf sheds. “That is perfectly correct,” Mr Gain said, “but Mr Clarke is ignorant of the fact that those goods arc awaiting transhipment by steamer to Bluff, having been shipped from Napier on a through bill of lading.” There had been another consignment, cf 9000 cases of canned goods for Dunedin in the same vessel. These had all been removed from the wharf sheds and delivered to their destination before the day of the board meeting, said Mr Gain.

The Harbour Board chairman had considered that the carrying firm concerned had failed in its duty and there was no doubt, Mr Gain continued, that the reference made at the board meeting was intended as a reprimand, The removal of- such a large shipment of canned goods was, however, performed in record time.

Co-operation in the clearing of wharf sheds,” said Mr Gain, “is continually being sought by the Harbour Board, and therefore incidents such as this are not very palatable to those who make a real effort to help the board.”