BILLS OF LADING

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10611, 9 June 1920, Page 5

BILLS OF LADING

“FULL OK BLUFF.” OPINION OF "BUSINESS MEN. Matters pertaining to bills of lading were brought before the , Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce yesterday by the Associated Chambers of Commerce, who asked for a submission of proposals .in respeat. of tho shipping document. Tho chairman. Mr A. Leigh Hunt, said it was proposed to take action with the object of securing the elimination of anything in the nature of “bluff” from hills of lading. Ho said that the document, in question was “crammed full” of all sorts of conditions which -would not stand in conimon law .and that in other countries it had been made a. penal offence to have any such condition in a bill-of-lading. Owners of vessels were denying responsibility for tho unseaworthiness of their ships and also for damage to cargo in transit. Consignees had been asked (to pay freight in, instances where it had been prepaid, a contention being put forward by tho shipping companies that the consignee was the guarantor of consignors in different parts of the world. All these matters would be placed before the Associated Chambers of Commerce. Mr Holmes agreed that there wero a lot of “dummy” clauses in bills of Jading. He thought that in cases where a ship had to bo surveyed because of an impending claim arising out of damage to cargo the surveyor should not be engaged by the shipowner, but by the consignee. The Chamber approved of the suggestions and asked Mr Holmes to assist its representatives on the Associated 'Chambers of Commerce to draft proposals affecting the matter under discussion. ,