CARGO PILLAGING

Wanganui Chronicle, 16 July 1947, Page 4

CARGO PILLAGING

SHIP-OWNERS VERY CONCERNED (P.A.) Wellington, July 14. “Members of the New Zealand Shipowners’ Federation are very concerned at the action of the Lyttelton Waterside Workers’ Union in refusing to work to-day as mark of the union’s disapproval against the methods used by'a detective at that port in obtaining evidence in connection with pillage from a coastal vessel, says a Federation statement.

“Tlua amount paid for pillaged and •short-landed cargo has grown to such an extent that it behoves everybody, and every organisation connected with coastal carriage of goods, to use its best, endeavours to eliminate these costs. They ar e very disturbed at cost involved and dissatisfaction to con-, signees and the position calls for drastic action. The figures for pillaged and shortloaded goods paid for by New Zealand Companies have been taken out for the last eight years and are as follows. These are exclusive of damaged cargo and also claims paid by overseas ship-owners and New Zealand Railways at railway ports:—

“These figures surely call for some immediate attention. Reference was made recently by the chairman of directors of a coastal shipping company in his annual report to shareholders as follows: ‘Annual claims for damaged cargo and pilfering are nearly three time what they were in 1939, and this year amounted to li per cent of the company's paid up capital.’ ”

£ B. d. 1939 5069 17 10 1940 4968 7 10 1941 4914 7 s 1942 7536 19 7 1943 10221 1 9 1944 11269 12 6 1945 15951 3 0 1946 21390 7 10