Sea Carriage of Goods.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 August 1922, Page 4

Sea Carriage of Goods.

an amending bill,

WELLINGTON, August 10

The Sea Carriage of Goods Rill, which lias been introduced in the House of Representatives, brings under one tending tlie various sections of the Shipping and Seamen Act, relating to bills of lading, liability of shipowners, and kindro.i subjects. It also makes some important additions to the existing law. The Rill when passed by Parliament is to come into operation on a date to be fixed by proclamation.'

-A now clause relates to the condition of goods on delivery to the ship. It makes the following provision : —“Any clause written or stamped upon the face ,>r a hill of lading or other shipping document, relating to the carriage of goods, purporting to describe tlie condition of packages or goods referred to therein, shall Ire null and void, unless tlie attention of the shipper has been called to tlie condition of such packages or goods at the time of their deliver' to the ship and the fact that attention has been so called lias been noted on the receipt then given. When ally package is delivered broken, or showing signs of having been tampered with or pillaged, the production of bona-fide invoices shall be sufficient prima facie evidence Hint the contents of the packages were in accordance therewith, and the onus of proof to the contrary shall rest upon tlie shipowner. The clause of the 1008 Act providing that a bill of lading shall he binding on the master and owner of the shin if signed by an authorised person is being extended to cover other shipping documents. The Act of 1911 provided that contracts for the carriage of goods from New Zealand should he governed by New Zealand law. The present Bill is adding the following provision: “Every bill of lading or other shipping document relating to the carriage of goods from any place in New Zealand to any place outside New Zealand shall hear upon the face of it in conspicuous type a clause in the following terms, or to the effect, thereof: “ft is agreed that this bill of lading as the case may i he shall ho subject to tlie Sea Carriage of Goods Act, 1922. Every provision of exception herein by which tint Act is made illegal or void, when continued in hills of lading or other documents to which that Act refers, is cancelled and annulled as effectively ns if the provisions of that Act had been set out heroin expressed or implied.” The Bill adds that every owner, master or agent who issues a hill of lading or other shipping document, with n,t complying with this section shall bo liable on summary conviction to a fine of £IOO.