CARGO PILLAGING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 243, 2 July 1918, Page 6

CARGO PILLAGING

CONSIDERED BY CHAMBER OF

COMMERCE

The practice of pilfering from cargoes was discussed at some length at a meeting of tho Wellington (.'lmmW of Commerce yesterday afternoon. The following letter was read from Hie secretary of the Murine Underwriters' Association :—

"I mil directed by my dnnv yoiir attention, to (lie great mcreaso\of pilferage of goods arriving from overseas. The experience of insurauco companies covering the risk of pilferage has been uniformly bad since the outbreak of war, (lie reason being, no doubt, the exposure of the goods for a longer period on the voyage and in the stores, and also tiio less secure packages, in many instances canvas taking the place of wooil ami zinc. It. is fell, however, that an improvement in these conditions might be made if special precautions wero taken, and this letter is addressed with that object in view. It- is only a mattor of timo when, unless there is a material improvement, shippers will I>o wiablo to find cover for this abnormal risk at present undertaken by souio insurance companies.

"I will lie glad to hear from you your views as to whether you consider nny special precautious might be. taken with a view of mitigating the evil. I understand that a deputation from the Chamber of Commerce, Sydney, recently waited 011 the Minister of Justice with reference to the question of pilferage from cargo, and that amendment: to the Crimes Act ill force in Australia was advocated."

Members of the. chamber discussed the matter at some length. It was pointed out that the packing at the present time was necessarily inferior, since-there was a shortage of materials in the United Kingdom. The regulations'that were now in force in the United Kingdom prohibited the use of wood for cases in some instances, and the goods had to be sent in canvas wrappings.

The infliction of fines, stated members of the chamber, did not appear to have ft markedly deterrent effect in cases of pillaging. Members expressed approval of tho recent statement of a Wellington Magistrate that he would inflict severe sentences in future cases of pillaging from cargoes. It was mentioned that ill Wellington waterside workers convicted of pillaging are not able to secure employment again on tho wharves.