SHIPPING CASUALTIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 65, 8 June 1927, Page 11

SHIPPING CASUALTIES

GENERAL AVERAGES ADDRESS BY MR. J. B. PATERSON “Shipping Casualties and Consignees’ Relations Thereto,” was the subject of a lecture by Mr. J. B. Paterson at the Karangahape Road Business Promotion Society’s luncheon yesterday. Mr. M. J. Bennett presided. The subject was a very elaborate one and very generally misunderstood, said the speaker. When an accident occurred during the carrying of goods then the necessity arose for some method of assessing the liability of consignees. The speaker then discussed bills of lading and general average and the history of maritime law. In 1804 a conference of maritime nations at York settled the conditions of the carriage of goods. Later another conference was held at Antwerp in 1876, hence they were called the York-Ant-werp Rules. Another amendment in 1924 decided the present conditions of the carriage of goods by water. This was accomplished at a conference of the international lawyers at Stockholm. These rules were now maritime law. The speaker then explained various sections of the law dealing with -shipping casualties and the way a general average was arrived at. One section dealt with general average acts and the incidence of the losses on consignees. Only four disasters of a major nature are considered: total loss, collision, fire, and stranding. The merchant usually insured his interests for the whole extent of his liabilities and expenses and added 10 per cent, to the value. Some importers forget to add this 10 per cent., but others abused the practice and caused the ship owners trouble with the underwriters. The speaker then showed detailed claims made in connection with actual cases of shipping disaster. Miss H. Asher contributed a song, “The Cuckoo,” accompanied by Mrs. Oldfield. A vote of thanks for the speaker and the vocalists was heartily supported.