A TRANSACTION IN OATS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3890, 2 October 1928, Page 76

A TRANSACTION IN OATS.

By

G.L.D.

Shortly after I commenced business on my own account I received a welcome order from an important South Australian firm for two cargoes of oats to be shipped from Dunedin to Adelaide. The buyers were to provide the tonnage, and in due course the first chartered vesse! arrived. She was promptly loaded and despatched, and the business was satisfactory to all concerned. The second vessel also arrived to her due date, but there had been a change in conditions. The time was June, 1878, and the notable storm and flood had taken place, doing immense damage throughout Otago, and incidentally sweeping away the railway bridge across the river at Balclutha, and completely severing communication between north and south.

I had purchased all my oats for my second cargo in the district south of Balclutha, but for any chance of getting them to Dunedin they might have been purchased in Jerusalem. The stores were bare, and I was helpless. Mv vessel was Dutch, as .was her skipper, and her charter provided that after the expiry of her loading days she could claim a demurrage charge of £9 per day. Immediately this became due I had a morning call each day from my urbane captain, who presented his bill for the £9 incurred the previous day. It happened that in the middle of the disaster my wedding day arrived. To a young roan in my circumstances a honeymoon with a claim of £9 per day hanging over him was impracticable. I was married on a Thursday, and returned to business on Saturday morning. Enter my’captain with his little bill, who remarked; “ I did hear that you were married on Thursday.’ 1 The charge was admitted. He then said in an aggrieved tone: “Vy did you not tell me, and I would have dressed my ship!” I thanked him, but not very cordially, 1 fear. I was hardly generous enough to recognise more than the irony of the position, though I am sure the worthy sailor had the friendliest intention in his mind, and of course was doing no more than his duty in attending to his owner’s interests.

I got the ship loaded and despatched somehow with a scratch cargo, of which I was not very proud; but with the higher prices I had to pay for the oats and the expenses for demurrage the business was not a profitable one. The captain put his affairs in the hands of an agent, and the matter of demurrage was amicably arranged. They met me very fairly, and allowance was made in consideration of the fact that the unusual delay was v due to “ the act of God.”

“ In conclusion, I would plead as an extenuating circumstance the absolute innocence of the accused! ” . »—Sondaganlsse-Strlx, Stockholm.