CARGO THEFTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 48, 1 March 1946, Page 5

CARGO THEFTS

SERIOUS DISTRICT LOSSES FOURTEEN CASES OF BUTTER A serious loss of cargo from Auckland to the port of Whakatane has been sustained by local retailers for some time past, the cause being obvious instances of pilfering by persons unknown during the period of transit from the stores and warehouses to the wharves here. So persistent has this practice become that the Harbour Board has written the police on the matter in order to gain protec- '

tion for the public generally. During the past month the following cargo covering three shipments has been pillaged:1 Case tobacco, shortlanded. 1 Carton boots, 1 pair missing. 1 Carton solvol, 3 cakes missing. 1 Box ale, 2 bottles short. 1 Carton Rexona, shortlanded. 1 Parcel fencing tools, 5 short. 1 Carton tea, 4ilbs short. 1 Case peaches, 6 tins short.

1 Case goods, 6 packets matches. 1 Parcel drapery, men’s socks and ladies’ stockings missing totalling £7. 1 Case sauce, 1 bottle pickles short. 1 Case cordials, 6 bottles short. -I Case ale, 6 bottles short. In the case of the tinned fruit, there were two empty cans left in the case and a few mildewed peaches remained. Several of the pilfered cases had been opened and renailed, while in the case of the missing beer several empty bottles were discovered in the ship’s hold. The Chairman of the Board (Mr W. R. Boon) stated in his letter to the police that in his opinion the greater bulk if not all of the pillaging was taking place in Auckland and the Board asked if a police officer could attend at the wharf for short periods while the boat was unloaded. In addition to the above list fourteen 561 b cases of butter were missing between the Rangitaiki Plains Dairy Store at Edgecumbe and the cool store Auckland, and this shortage had likewise occurred on various boats over the past month.