71
1 March,
1898.
5 March, 1898.
128
Messrs. Bodin say they can only believe that the cases have been badly handled. To place us in a position to claim against the makers the Managing Commissioner should state fully the grounds on which he considers that the packing was carelessly done, for in the absence of particulars showing what respects actual carelessness was apparent, we can hardly recover the sum claimed. The fact of considerable breakage taking place without any injury to the cases would not amount to a proof of careless- ness, as with such fragile goods the cases might easily be so roughly used as to cause damage to the contents without any external injury being seen.
3. With respect to the complaint of superficial inspection, I enclose a copy of a memorandum from our Inspector on the subject, as well as one from Messrs. Bodin and Company, who have since paid us the value of the fire-cracked traps included in the statement which accompanied your letter, namely three traps at 4s. 8d., or 13s. 6d. in all, which has been duly credited in your account.
129
MEMORANDUM by the MANAGING COMMISSIONER, Kingston General Commission. HONOURABLE COLONIAL SECRETARY,
April 22, 1898.
THE engineer and storekeeper report that the closets were packed in thin crates, without sufficient layers of straw being placed between the closets; that such packages are not substantial enough for such fragile goods: that had such goods been carefully packed in cases the breakage reported would not have been so great.
R. S. H.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
Mr. W. H. STANGER to CROWN AGENTS. Jamaica.-K.G.C.-Requisition 26700.
1
I have, &c.,
M. A. CAMERON.
Broadway Testing Works, Westminster, S.W., March 1, 1898. Every pan is examined by the Inspector, and only those free from cracks are accepted. A large percentage are always rejected in consequence of defects, but as they are perfectly usable for ordinary customers they are not broken up. The nature of the goods prevents the accepted articles from being stamped. Makers guarantee to pack only such articles as have been passed by the Inspector, and this is, as a rule, faithfully carried out. If any pans have reached the Colony with the defects named by the Managing Commissioner, these pans have been shipped without inspection or acceptance.
W. HARRY Stanger.
GENTLEMEN,
Messrs. BODIN AND COMPANY to CROWN AGENTS.
'Acme" Engineering Works, Wednesbury, March 5, 1898. In reply to extract from General Commissioner we are bound to say the Inspector examines the articles most minutely, and would reject any not suitable, and it is our wish and particular instruction that such articles should be put on one side, and at the pottery the packer is forbidden to nest them. The only way we can ⚫ account for these traps getting in is the packer's carelessness, and whatever you reject or claim for these, the packer himself will have to pay, as a means of making him more careful for the future. It is most annoying to have a complaint of this kind, and we shall take strong measures to stop it and glad of
your assistance.
We have, &c.,
↓ W. H. BODIN AND COMPANY,
(No. 323.)
SIR,
CROWN AGENTS to COLONIAL SECRETARY, Jamaica,
Jamaica-Requisition 26700.
June 10, 1898. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, No. 3151/3922, of the 26th April, enclosing a copy of a memorandum by the Managing Commissioner of the Kingston General Improvement Commissioners, of the 22nd April, in which it is stated that the crates in which Messrs. Bodin packed their pans and traps were too slight for the purpose, and that insufficient straw was used.
2.
This
As regards the first point, the use of these crates was recommended after full consideration by the makers and by Mr. Chadwick, and their decision was confirmed by the Acting Resident Engineer's request, expressed in a letter to the Managing Commissioner of 16th March, 1896, of which a copy accompanied your letter No. 2136/3125, of the 30th March, 1896, that crates might be used instead of boxes. method, which has, we understand, been successfully used in large exports to Egypt and elsewhere, was accordingly adopted in all shipments after the first. I would call your attention to the fact that there appears on the indent now under consideration, against the pans and traps, a note that they are "to be packed in the same manner as previous shipments." In face of this we cannot hold the contractors responsible for the mode of packing adopted, which we are assured was in every respect similar to the previous shipments.
3. The sufficiency or otherwise of straw is a point on which it is practically impossible to judge when once breakage has occurred. In this connection I would refer you to Messrs. Bodin's memorandum of the 9th April, 1896, a copy of which we sent you with our letter, No. 373, of the 12th January, 1897.,
I regret that on account of the above considerations we do not see our way to claim the value of these breakages from Messrs. Bodin: We fear there is no way of securing immunity from breakage of such fragile articles; that the risk is great is shown by the attitude of the insurance companies, who either will not take them or will only do so at excessive rates. We think it probable that much of the damage occurs in discharging, and should any more be obtained I would refer you to the sug- gestion made in our letter, No. 400, of the 23rd March. 1897, that an officer should board the steamer on arrival and watch the unloading on behalf of the Commissioners.
I have, &c.,
M. A. CAMERON.
8
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
22 April, 1898.
COLONIAL SECRETARY, Jamaica, to CROWN AGENTS.
(No. 3151/3922.)
GENTLEMEN,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Jamaica, April 26, 1898. WITH reference to your letter, No. 503, Jamaica, Requisition 26700, of the 22nd ultimo, in regard to the breakages of pans and traps supplied to the Kingston General Commissioners by Messrs. Bodin and Company, I am desired to forward herewith, for your information, a copy of a memorandum by the Managing Commis- sioner on the subject.
I have, &c.,
PHILIP C. CORK, Assistant Colonial Secretary.
Enclosure K in No. 34.
Jayaga.
Cases referred to in table "C" as "not yet received."
(1) 7095/8154——Bridgework, &c., Railway:—
Indent dated 28th August, 1900. The bridgework was shipped (from America) on the 22nd June, 1901.
If reference is intended to another part of the indent (for spare engine parts) this part was cancelled and a new order sent in substitution in a letter from the Colonial Secretary of the 27th June, 1901: these were shipped on the 16th December, 1901.
0922
R