SHIPPING INTERRUPTIONS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 194, 12 May 1919, Page 4

SHIPPING INTERRUPTIONS

TRADERS' DIFFICULTIES. The frequent interruptions in steamer communication with Australia are referred to in the annual report of' the Wellington Chamber of Commerce as follows:—The position of intercolonial shipping during the year has, at times, been critical, and particularly from September to January. Owing to quarantine restrictions, labour troubles and general shortage of. ships, thero was a large accumulatiou of cargo at Sydney, and Melbourne awaiting shipment to New Zealand ports, -Some overseas shipping companies have refused, to give through bills of lading for cargo shipped to New Zealand from Eastern ports, and from the United Kingdom, where transhipment has had to be effected at A.ustralian port. It is believed that this attitude hae been adopted owing to the congestion of cargo in Australian ports, and the uncertainty of the amount of storage and transhipping chaTges likely to be incurred. This attitude of tho shipping companies has been a serious one for the New Zealand importer, as he has hud to maki) arrangements in Sydney for the forwarding of his cargo by intercolonial steamer, has had to pay storage and transhipping charges, and, in many cases, has often been faced with the disability that the intercolonial steamship company has insisted upon issuing a bill of lading stating that the cargo is insufficiently packed, notwithstanding that the first carrying steamship company issued an unqualified bill of lading. This practice on the part of intercolonial steamship companies has been a serious matter for Now Zealand importers when cargo v has> arrived in a or pillaged condition, and tho opinion is almcst universal in commercial circles that unfair advantage has been taken. *