HUGE LOSSES FROM CARGO PILLAGING

Chronicle (Levin), 22 August 1946, Page 5

HUGE LOSSES FROM CARGO PILLAGING

THIS CRIME NEVER GREATER THAN AT PRESENT ' ■ " : > ' WELTJ^GTO^, Aug: 2k.;;' A wkole C'oflsignmeilt of, lGO . jJo^en pairs of .pure si'lk fully fasljiQned st^fekings, linest quality silk hos'e to conie to N'ew Zealand for years, disappeared from the cargo of the Bussex which sailed to Lyttelton from Wellington last Thursday. The eonsignment was valued at £7U0. It is believed the stockings wert takeu off the ship at Auckland whiclwas the port of call before Wellington and will probably appear on the blacs market as Auckland is well-known tc the poiice and other circles for the east witli whieli whisky, expensive cigarsand silk stockings can be fiurcliased from seainen iu hotel bars. The incidence of pillaging from shipiin New Zealand has never been greatei than at present and although the courts have had their quota of watersider--charged with pillaging of a coni parativelv minor nature, it is not be lieved watersiders are responsible foi the larger tliefts. Wellington wliari poiice have kept a constant watch on watersiders and members of crews leaving overseas ships and their constant searches serve as some clieck 011 pillaging. When the Waipori from Bjrdney was searched at Wellington for the Bydney gunman believed to be aboard, tlio poiice l'ound numerous rolls of serge and other men's suiting stacked in one hold and pillaged from cases consigned to New Zealand importers but the searches for Alartini apparently upset tlie plans to get the goods asliore. The recent conviction in Wellington of a man who received numerous rolls of stolen ma terial, was a big blow to black marketers but there is no sign that pillaging is on the wane. Eighty thousand cigarettes were stolen from one ship a few months ago. Oue clothing factory at New Plvmoutli, for some time averaged a 4!) per cent. loss on sports coats consigned to Dunedin, which only waned when false labels were put on the cases. - One well-known South Island manufaeturer has indicated that he will send no more goods north beeause of pillaging.