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GENERAL AVERAGE APPLIED TO WAR EXPENSES

; Sir,—While mousing ; through' a book 'en salvage I came upon the following slab:—"With , regard to salvage, generala. vera go. and contribution, the maritinio ' law differs from the common, law. >>'o similar doctrine applies, to things lost upon land, nor to anything except gcods in peril at sea." v ■ ' -' ' And.' thon ' tho learned scribe is supported by an earlier, writer,- who i '"'Upon Hie equity hereof is that proceed■'ing (salvage claims) clearly', justified.,■ ■ Whereby if a. ship 'being set upon by' ! pirate or enemies shall be rescued', by another ship seasonably coming to her rescue," it charges the ship that is thus redeemed with I sa(vago money to the other, that, did so endanger 'herself . to : preserve her. That, roconipeiiso being in lieiiofall damages, thereby sustained, I ;anj for futuro''encouragement to others. i ' to fight in defonto of thosb that they fco ■' assailed. Considering all salvage, therefore, lo bo' founded, on (ho equity of "remunerating private aud ' individual services, si. Court of Justice) should bo , cautious not , to treat it on any. oilier principle." , ' ■ . ■ '. Continuing, the . learned gentleman . eays:--"]f will-be found, J. think, that salvage resolves itself uiUv'Uie equity of rewarding.spontaneous services, .render-' c<l.. in the protection of tho Jives and property, of'others. This is a ' general "principal of equity, and was considered I es'giving a clause of action in .tho lioman I- law." • ■■-..'■ .' Truly wo havo not yel absorbed tho. ■total legacy left us by .Marcus Aurolius ' and his compatriots, sometinift .makers of Empires,-on tho banks of the Tiber, [■am not st lawyer, nor yet .the son of a, "lawyer, but have a kcon apprccia- ' j tion of such as Mr. yon. Haast, who act the part-of tho ice-breaker aniongst the ;. frosts'l precedents of .his predecessors. ■■Way' should the'equity, so clearly cstab-. '■lished in things, maritime not apply, to; ' disasters similar on the; solid earth ?. ! Why?. Naturally, aek tie Second Divi- : Eion in crescendo. II General average, .1 might point out, is I Fomething that takes place, after the , disaster. The prudent business man to--1 day consult* fho underwriters, and';'by , way of .i. premium' based on the value of the property at risk tho underwriter guarantees the owners against loss, prior i to disaster. On these conditions every. i individual who finds British goods neces!ia.ry. to his welfare is already paying- the I premium" as a; matter of coutso; 'and ' without demur. ' \'_ ■ • ■' ' Now our Second Division, men : am manning the lifeboat and putting off- to • . -the rescue of tho good, ship "God's Own ' Country." The Government are in the [ meantime underwriters, . but not for •profit. .They know the. total-value of . the ship'at-peril, andtheir obyioue duty is to proceed on the principles of ordin- . ary businees and equity as outlined by .the learned Judge-quoted. The iindcri writer'knows the prevention-of loss is ■going to cost him outlay.oil tho Highest ■ ecale if salvage by personal, sacrifice is. ; ntcesssry: • His premium is therefore ; liased on this, and judging by the bal-ance-sheets of tho companies : 'huge-profits-havo been, made eince war 1 risks came into.forco. ... Our national premium.- . covering fair and .equitable., rewards ..for,-.the salvors,, both in. pay and pension, "ehould be at once collected t later, when the ship is sa.ved, we may. have a. general average as between .the. present generation, andposterity, but there should ba no hesitA-tioa'to-day in providing fully and complefcelj- for- the equitablo treatment (not . necessarily reward) of the ealvors. .-Before the war, Germany, in making pro- . ivision for their present, groat effort to aggrandise and enlarge.' .that Empire. Jfetruck ■ the levy, presumably on' the 'grounds that all citizens holding, a s'tako ■ ''iii their country were,'going to benefit' by the piratical adventure they undertook: How much more'urgent'Li the Teason to proceed"on theao lines to pre- , .Tent the foundering of .our bark? Only politicians appear to see.through a.glass darkly on the matter. '" • To gentlemen such' as Mr. Ron Haast and' Mr. E. A.'Atmstrong and his.colleague? on tie Second Division we ehould take off our'hate and thank them for the prod that at , least, makes eome of us wasi a\:, or at least lurn" over in our sleep. The carping ineptitude pf their critics i«, of epurse, the price ■always cheerfully paid by the men who try io do good for all. So far as I r.an. judge, your Saturday's-issue containing Mr. von Haast's letter and the proceed- . ings of the.-Smiojhl .Sirision .LeagiM.'is the first appearance "of strong mea.t. in. the, soup cauldron of patriotic, froth that

has been simmering- those three years. As you say, their argument are unanswerable, and tho country will becomo very impatient if. limy are not foon practically supported by the powers that be.—i Hill, etc., AKISTIDES. July 23.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19170724.2.62.2

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3144, 24 July 1917, Page 7

Word count
Tapeke kupu
777

GENERAL AVERAGE APPLIED TO WAR EXPENSES Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3144, 24 July 1917, Page 7

GENERAL AVERAGE APPLIED TO WAR EXPENSES Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3144, 24 July 1917, Page 7

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