The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-11-30
SHARP ANSWERS
ELSASS Criticism
Customs Appraiser Says Storage
OF Cargo Was Authorized BY
Federal Government

Whenever the Australian consignees
Of the former German steamship EIsass
want their cargo, now stored in the
Iwilei warehouse rented by the custom
house officials, the latter, on payment
of the accrued charges, win essay to
dig IL out and deliver it at the door,
whence It will have to be carted tt
the dock at cost to the eonsignec OF
fifty cents a ton, according to Rayme,
sharp, general appraiser of the Gus.
toms department.
Mr.. sharp said yesterday that when
the Elsass arriyed'here from Samoa and
was taken over by the United States
Shipping Board, the cargo was removed
from its holds and placed on pier rs
and guarded by the army the navy
department later turning the cargo over
TO the customs department. Consider.
Gble cable correspondence developed be
tween Honolulu's customs representa-.
tives and the treasury department at
Washington, resulting in Secretary Nc
Adoo directing the customs house to
take the cargo over under the usual
requirements Of the customs regula
tons, charging the usual amount on
targoes held for consignees, which hap
pens to be fifty cents ton.
Warehouse Rented a...aar1
Having no place in which to store
the cargo, authority was received by
cable from Washington to rent ware
house. which arrangement was perfect.
ed with T.. p. Fogarty at monthly
rental of $3.50. Out of the original
1850 tons there 'still remains 1900 tons
on which fifty cents per ton charges
are assessed each month, all going tC
the credit of the United States govern
ment, the latter paving out of another
fund the $3.50 warehouse rental cost
Mr.. Sharp states that when IL CAM
to storing the goods, the warehous'
was too small, and therefore il was al
placed in the house in the only manner
possible under the circumstances, IRE
spective of consignees' marks. As the
customs house will have to take the
merchandise ont as wanted, the Gus
toms house is the department hurt in
this transaction, says Mr.. Sharp, AZ
this is to be done without cost to the
eonsiRnee. 5. ,..a ~
So far only $s59.5O in cash has been
paid to the customs house for storage
charges, amounts being paid only when
goods are removed. However, as the
merchandise has now been stored about
three months, each ton represents p
storage charge Of $3.50. To this will
he added fifty cents ton carriage
charges, and then the ships cost per
ton from Honolulu to Australian ports
CARGO More Valuable ..E
Much of the cargo has gone up In
value since the war began in 1914
particularly the structural steel and
iron, straw board, etc. . t7}r
As the matter stands, the govern.
ment is making out of the cargo fifty
cents per ton per month. or at present
about 5000 per month. Furthermore, Il
Is asserted that owing to war-refugee
conditions and the poor facilities for
freight handling at Page Pago, the car.
go could not easily be transferred there
for reshipment to Australia, and that
the sudden determination of the Federal
Shipping Board to load the vessel with
sugar and send il to the Coast caused
the removal of the cargo and conse
quent charge for storage to consignees
thousands of miles away, for which
they were not in any way responsible
The question of whether or not the
chamber of commerce should be a fac
tor in graphing with the peculiar stu
alton that has arisen out Of the war
TO aid cOnsignees at distant points, and
, attempt to relieve fortune. costing
| charges, is still one which has it's pro
ponents and its opponents among tn,
chambers membership.
At the next meeting Of the chamber
| of commerce the question will be con
sidered in all its phases, and the pure
letter of the law, as Interpreted by tn,
customs officials, will form a part OF
' Tho discussion