ALLEGED THEFT FROM WRECK

Southland Times, Issue 23990, 4 December 1939, Page 6

ALLEGED THEFT FROM WRECK

TWO LORRY LOADS OF CARGO SEVERAL MEN TO BE CHARGED On a charge of the theft of cargo from, the Waikouaiti several men will appear in the Magistrate’s Court at Bluff this morning. They were questioned by the police at Bluff on Saturday after salvage operations on the stranded vessel had been suspended. Since the Waikouaiti struck on Dog Island on Tuesday night many fishing boats and pleasure craft have visited the wreck. On Saturday afternoon while the salvage gang was at work two or three fishing boats were present, the occupants apparently watching the operations. Two of the boats did not return to Bluff after the order was given suspending salvage work, however, and later men were seen to board the Waikouaiti and act suspiciously. The police were informed and when the boats returned to Bluff wharf they were examined by the police and Customs officials and were found to hold a varied cargo of ship’s gear—blankets, mattresses, rope, cases and other things—two lorry loads in all. The “cargo” was promptly seized by the police. It is an offence to take cargo or gear from a wrecked ship; it is also an Offence to take flotsam. The Receiver of Wrecks is in charge of the ship and its cargo and any cargo which may be washed out of the wreck and float to the foreshore should be handed over to the Customs,