TO STOP LOSS OF GOODS IN TRANSIT

Chronicle (Levin), 22 May 1946, Page 2

TO STOP LOSS OF GOODS IN TRANSIT

-Pj-ess ' Association

RAILWAY 'S CAMPAIGN EEARING FRUIT/

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, May '21. ' ' Measu-res taken by the- Railways Departmeut in cooperatiOn • -with its elieuts, to coinb'af the. loss -and damage of'goods in transit, are bearing fruit, '' said the Aliuister of Railways, Hon: R. Eemple, tonight. The iMiuister gave ligures showiug that the periods of and immediately after the two great .wars, wcre notorious for sharp . "inereases in losses of goods carried by public transpcrt. Bctweeii 1939-40 and 1945-40 the volume of goods carried by rail in-' creased by 2U per ceut but the rate of lcss from. theft and apparently kindrecl causos, is now four and a half times greater than wlien the war bcgan. ' ' These are disturbing ligures, ' ' said Mr. Semple. "Although they reflect The general experience. Overseas railwa,ys also report inereases, in some cases very mueh greater than ours, Khipping companies on the New Zear land coast have sulfered similariy. ' ' One of the main contributing causes pn our sidc has been the short; age of skilled men to handle goods. Four years ago, the, jnanageincut, warlied by the-growth of lo'sses during and immediately after the first great war, began an intensive campaign of clpiuis ' prevention as rail.vvaymen call it...TliiS was directed to redueing losses. from all causes and not only. tliose from theft. 1( involved the appointment of speciaj oflicers to work among the rail wa vs stail and directly ■witli elients in an investigation of losses and to take steps to "g"uai'd against tlieir ' recurrence*. Iivery clfort has been made to train the railways stalf in the more carefuj handling and stowagc of goods, in thO importance of correct tailying and checkiiig, and in a fuller recognition of tlieir duty and ours to protect the property of elients." ' r • y "Public cooperalion has also ' been sought. Although our total ciaims paid last vear showed auother iuc'rease, that was duc principally to the uuusual number of accideutal fircs claims paid for. Loss froiu theft aud causes uot eslab lished, were substantially less in alnount tinui the previous year, the first decrease since the beginning of tlie war aud tliis despite auother increase in the touiiage of goods carried. tio our campaign is having an efl'cct. Wc shall not. let iip with it until tlie eiTect is very lnuch more marked. "

The Minister was distresscd, howcver, by the proportion of proven claims for theft and loss, to the totaJ of all claims paid. I11 1935 15 per ceut of Ihe total payments were iu respect of losses from tlreft and unexplained causes which of ten niust be presumed to be tlicft. Last year these items accounted for ap])roximately 40 per cent of tlie total claims bill. * •