WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 October 1927, Page 4

WELLINGTON NEWS

C All GO PILFERING

(Special to “ Guardian ”.)

WELLINGTON, Oct. 7

The pilfering of cargo from overseas ships has been known for many years past, but it appears to have increased to a very large extent since the close of the war. It is rife in Australia and New Zealand more than in any other country. In August last a statement was issued in London by a committee consisting of shipowners, merchants, representatives of Chambers ol Commerce and protection and indemnity associations, which disclosed the seri ous losses sustained by interests engaged in the sea-borne trade of Australia and New Zealand owing to the wholesale pillage of eargo from consignments to and train the ports of those countries;. Over a period of three years shipowners in the Australian and New Zealand trade have paid in claims Li71),000. On 110 steamers in respect of which figures were available. claims on pilhtgeable cargo, as distinct from cargo such as iron, tin plates, etc., from the United Kingdom and the Continent averaged 2s 2d per ton of cargo carried." One of the protection and indemnity associations reported that in the three years 50 per cent of their round-voyage claims had arisen in the Australian trade. .'lO per cent in the New Zealand trade, and 20 per cent in all other trades, in spite of the fact that of 742 vessels entered in that association only lilty were exclusively employed in trade with Australia and New Zealand. One line reported average losses on

Home-bound cargo from Australia of, 1-1.15 d per ton, as compared with I.3'Jd per cunt from the Far Fast. Seven importing linns in Sydney reported pillage losses in 1925 of £5,000 ; in 1920 of £7,000. It is apparent, says the report, from the experience of recent years, that pillage is increasing, that the volume of existing claims justifies close examination of the subject; and that while some pillage takes place in European ports, the majority of the claims occur in respect of losses overseas. I It was stated that while figures on which to base the report had been provided by the shipping lines it was difficult to assess the total losses, as ( mi figures had been obtained from underwriters who insure such risks, j and a proportion of the losses nrej borne by merchants, not covered by j insurance, who discover pillage when it is too late to claim on the ship. It is | finite obvious that this pilferage of cargo in Australia and New Zealand is an organised affair, and it is up to the authorities to take some drastic steps to mitigate the evil. The report is a reflection on the waterside workers in Australia and New Zealand, for they are not all thieves. No doubt there are those who make a business of pil- | Coring cargo and steps should ho taken to discover these. Once caught these men should never again be allowed into a ship’s hold. Consignees can contribute to the safety of cargo by refraining from indicating on the outside the contents of the case. It is the small but expensive goods such as silk blouses and stockings, dresses, footwear and goods easily concealed that can bo pilfered. Hub more detective work on the waterfront is desirable. | GREY HOUND RACING. 1 Greyhound racing or coursing has obtained a wide popularity in liritain. and this popularisation of the electric hare would not have been possible without the application of the jointstork principle. The patent rights of the electric hare belong to a Munches-! ter company, and the first fully modelled track was opened in Manchester! only in the middle of April last, and , that in London two months later, By the end of August nearly forty companies had been registered and tlrcapital involved is close on three-quar-ters of a million sterling. Eutertain-

incut finnnee is notoriously precarious, because public caprice and fashion are so difficult to gauge and forestall. Oil the oilier band most recreation ventures are not very costly in initiate, and are still less costly to run. The heaviest expense is probably that of the site. The key to the situation is the extent of public patronage. The beginnings of the dog-racing boom are said to be singularly like the rollerskating craze of twenty years ago. fn 1908 and 100!) nearly -100 rink companies with a share capitalisation approximating three, millions came into existence. By the middle of 1011 a quarter of them with a million and a half of capital liquidated,•and others soon followed. The bookmaker is the pivot of the popularity of greyhound racing in England where it constitutes an evening’s entertainment to tile detriment of the theatres'and picture shows. It is the chance of the gamble that attracts the crowds.