Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-09-16
Three Hour Session of Utilities
Board Replete With Matters
Interesting Shippers

With session lasting yesterday az.
ternoon from o'clock until O'Clock
and which covered the examination
Of three Witnesses from Maui and the
yice-president OF the Inter-Island
Steam Navigation Company, as well
as the citation OF figures on earnings
and disbursements of the steamship
Claudine, and the reading OF the hot
complaint from the Maui Chamber Of
Commerce which was yesterday print
ed in the Star.Bulletin, the public utili-
! ties commission has irlaugurated what
promises to be one of the most inter-
esting and vital investigations in its
! history. e. .-.@-
Much 10 Accomplished.
Although the three hour meeting
contained much of routine questioning
necessary to such q session there was
brought out much evidence in that
time that viii undoubtedly have a dis
tinct bearing on later portions of the
hearing.
Chairman Charles r. Forbes stated
today that he feels a great deal was
accomplished in the beginning session
"a good start for the three hours,
he says
Frequent flashes OF wit, verbal
shrapnel that burst here and there,
and plain out-and-0ut answers given
fearlessly by both sides put a kick
into the hearing that kept those pres
;ent from nodding, and drowned out
the drone Of the electric fan that
sought to cool the humid air.
~ Iryfr&a yfy.lah ~ e{-.@
ness, apparently in a position where
he preferred to say nothing as q wit
ness, brought forth little Of interest,
his brother, John j. Walsh. and H. B. /
who followed him spoke |
out without hesitancy.
Meanwhile Harold w. Rice sitting !
back awaiting his turn fairly squirmed |
In his chair an his anxiety to tell I
what he knew, often answering a ques-
ton put to a witness before the man
In the chair had time, to get II from /
his lips. Rice was the very embOdi-
ment of spirit Of happy aggressive !
ness. and ii is safe TO say his testimony
next Tuesday morning will be Of high 1
interest,"
u Intlmated.
One Of the tense moments in the
session was when John ]. walsh on
he witness stand intimated that the I
Company discriminates I
against the Kahului Store. Of which,
lie is manager, He related how (
capt. Bennett of the C1audine had de-
,lafed he wouldn't take q damned bit !.
il freight from Kahului Store for other
,orts." Walsh quoted the expletive J,
everal times to make himself clear.
Chairman Forbes asked several quesz 4
ions In regard to the incident and
Attorney L, J. Warren for the Inter
siand broke in:
There was no. good reason for his
lot taking your freight. you Think"
There was not. He took freight
rom other stores there"
"You mean that 1t looked like pure
on the part of the cap
ain?" ~
"You might. call 1t that replied
Walsh; Il mean the company would
nd did back him up In his attitude.
didn't make complaint on the Incl.
ent because It would have made
rouble for him-the captain. There
we're other men than the captain back :
{ It." II
Tres Of Complaining.
Walsh said he has made so many
omplaints to the Inter Island for dam
ged goods. especially Japanese tubs, I
nat he has grown discouraged, having Q
ever received any satisfaction from I
he company. That Is partly the rea- y
on, he said, why he does not intend I
, file Q written complaint with the 9
ublic utiiities commission. He feels G
lrther that enough complaints have !
cen filed already for the present in
and that multiplicity will
OF help any. Q
Norman E. Gedge pointed out that 8
one of the steamship companies win 4
ccept Japanese soy tubs and similar '