WIRE RUSTS ON VOYAGE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19139, 7 October 1936, Page 8

WIRE RUSTS ON VOYAGE

DAMAGES DISPUTE

HEARING OF APPEAL

(For Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, last night

In March of last year, the Canadian Highlander brought from Halifax to Wellington a shipment 01. about 100 tons of bright: nail wire, but when it was landed the wire was all more or less rusted and, for this reason, a very large quantity was unusable.

The Automatic Company brought a Supremo Court action for *CG6I against rhe Canadian Government merchant marine as owners of the ship to recoup them for the damage to the wire. The Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, held that rust nr corrosion was one of the matters for which, by the bill of lading, the shipping company was excused from liability unless it could be shown that there was negligence on the part of the company and that this had really caused tho damage.

][e considered, however, that proper care had not been exercised in the stowage of the wire and that the Automatic. Company was entitled to recover damages, the exact amount of which was to be assessed later. prom this judgment; the Canadian Government merchant marine is appealing and, after the hearing of legal argument to-day, the ease was udjourneel until to-morrow. .