DAMAGED FLOUR

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17152, 30 September 1926, Page 7

DAMAGED FLOUR

HARBOR BOARD TO PAY SEQUEL TO ACCIDENT (Special to the Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day. Some weeks ago the steamer Kaitangata had! her hull penetrated by a bolt which protruded from one of the wharves, with the result that a largo consignment of Hour was damaged. A claim way made by the Union, Steam Ship Co., and this was referred to the finance committee of the Harbor, which recommended that the amount be paid. Fjce.epiion to " this unbusinesslike way of doing things " was made by Mr. C. (!. Mclndoe, who held that the committee was in error in paying the replacement value of the flour, instead of merely the invoice value. There had, he said, been two falls in the price of flour since this replacement. Mr. E. W. Inder defended the action of the committee, and pointed out that legal advice had shown the board 1 to be liable for the damage. It was stated by the chairman, Mr. H. R. McKenzie, that the milling company whose flour it was had re-condi-tioned a great deal of the consignment at. cost price, and this had saved the board a lot of money, for this re-con-ditioned flour had been sold for £BOO, reducing the claim of £1034 As 3d by that, amount. About. 5s a ton above the invoice price had been allowed for the flour that had to be replaced, and in view of the fact that the board had been saved so much money" by the mill re-conditioninnr £BOO worth at cost price that allowance had been considered a very fair thing. The difference between the invoice and' • replacement values was about £IOO, and altogether the claim would cost the board £3OO. The amount agreed on by the committee was only that which the Union Co. had paid to the mills which imported the flour. " and," said' the chairman, " T can assure you that the Union Co. will net pay away more than it can helpit will fight to the last shilling." (Laughter.) It was finally agreed that the claim should be paid in accordance with the recommendation of the finance committee.