Thieves Busy On Territories
p. 10 · Read in the full issue
Cargo
From Our Own Correspondent LAE. March 7.
THIS is a snapshot of the citizens of Lae, lined up in a beer queue— typical of conditions in our once prosperous and happy little town. W. R.
Carpenter & Co. imported a consignment of bottled beer on the “River Mitta.”
So much had been stolen en route that the firm simply sold the balance to the first-comers hence the anxious queue.
So bad has cargo pillaging become that even the Administration is trying to do something about it. The Customs shed officials now simply pile all broached cargo at the end of the shed, and there one may see empty cartons which should have contained beer, soap, nails, canned foods, and what-not just thrown in a heap, awaiting “survey.”
Many losses are due to bad packing in Australia. Many agents apparently simply pick up goods in cartons from the manu facturers and deliver to ship in that un protected condition. What is not crushed under machinery, galvanised iron, and so on, is quite easily pillaged. A little care and co-operation, and a few vigilant guards, would avoid heavy losses.
The beer queue.