CARGO PILLAGING

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 287, 2 September 1942, Page 6

CARGO PILLAGING

Scheme Suggested To Reduce Loss

A protest against Wellington being blamed for more than its share of cargo pillaging was made by Mr. W. 1. J. Blyth, at a meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce last night He referred to a report of a discussion of the subject by the Canterbury chamber, which one paper hea’ded, "Wellington Alleged a Centre.” That he said, was a very -drastic statement. His information was that a great deal, of pillaging occurred on trucks between Christchurch and Lyttelton. At the Canterbury meeting oue case of pillaging mentioned was that of £l7B' worth of' 'hosiery. Actually that pillaging had occurred in Liverpool, and 12 men ha'd been sent to jail for it. In the centre of the case an English hook had been found, which confirmed that the theft had occurred there. (At this stage Mr. Blytli produced, the hook referred to.) It was very disheartening to find one chamber blasting another chamber or another port, he concluded.

"Is Mr. Blyth of the opinion that there is very little pillaging done on the Wellington wharves?” asked a member.

Mr. Blyth: We al!know that quite a lot of it goes on everywhere, but I do say that people who live in glasshouses shouldn’t throw stones.

Captain S. Holm said that Associated Chambers had made recommendations designed to reduce pillaging. If pillaging occurred in one part of a ship, the names of the men working in that part were listed. It was not a black list, but, if a man’s name recurred frequently, he might be spoken to. This seemed the only way to track down the offenders, and it was not fair that honest men should be blamed for' the dishonest minority. The scheme was already working in some vessels, and he hoped it would be extended.