RANGATIRA'S CARGO

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2860, 26 August 1916, Page 11

RANGATIRA'S CARGO

THE SALVAGH CHARGES. •Tho Dunodin Chamber of Commerce and the concerned met this Week to hear the opinion obtained from Messrs. S. Solomon,"K.C., and A. S. Adams on the rather unique, position that has arisen sinco tho landing of the wrecked Rangatira's cargo at Duncdiu per the Waiwera.- Tho position, it will bo remembered, is that the shipping company seek to collect a levy (salvage charges) from consignees amounting to 50 per cent, on tho'-mar-ket value of the goods landed, instead of upon the invoice value, and freight, plus 10 per cent. Mr. George fenwick was in the chair, and he asked Mr. W. Gotv- to explain tho issue the committee'had submitted to counsel. Mr. Gow said that the position appeared to be that when the ship went ashore she was likely to become the subject of a "gonerai average." Sho had, however, oecome tho subject of "salvago charges." The insurance companies wero not directly connected with tho demand for salvage charges. The shipping companies here, acting as agents for tho salvors, wore seeking to collect sufficient to secure the salvage charges, and there appeared to bo no reason why a sum, provided it was reasonable, should not be contributed to these- charges by the consignees. Tho insurance companies karne into the matter in this way: they s.r'd in effect, "Wo will pay a proportion of what is due," and whan asked why this was so, they said: "Because of the increase in value; wo will only pay tho proportion which the insurance bears to the total value." Tho importers held, however, that a marine insuranco policy wa> an absolute indemnity to the amount of its faco | value, and that all charges that a con[iigne'o might bo compelled to pay to get possession of his goods were payable by the insurance company up to the amount of the policy. The insurance companies said this was not so. They maintained 1 that tho importers joined with them to the extent of the increased value, so far :.s salvago charges were concerned. That i>as one of the points submitted to the lawyers: whother a policy was an absolute indemnity for all loss up to its value, or whether the owner (the consignee) had to become joint insuror for the difference in value, 'fhoother. question of course upon which they wanted an opinion was whether they had tho right to demand an examination of these goods before the vUuo was sot upon thorn for the purposes oil this contribution. , Counsel's opinion was road by Mr. Solomon, and upon his advice it was I decided not to make it public in tho meantime. It was final!v rosolvod. on the motion of Mr. H. K. Wilkinson, that the "opinion" bo referred to the Cornell of the Chamber, they to issue circulars to the importers embodying life decision . they arrive at. •