The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-09-19
Freight Rates Inaugurated BY
Navigation Company Subject
pf Utilities Inquiry
OPPOSING, ATTORNEYS Z
PREclPlT'ATE NEAR-RoW
What Promises TolBe Prolonged
Fight Between Shippers and !
Corporation Begins

Fl . d 81 . O. d. Z.
Other than general letter Of com,
plaiht read from the Maui chamber Of
commerce., eondcmhing the increased
freight and passenger rates, the ex.
Peeted pyrcteehnies in the sinvestiga.
tion Of the Inter-Islapd Steam NaviRa.
ton Company, held before the public
utilities commission, yesterday, failed
to appear, H all respects the meet.
ing was orderly and conducted appar.
emily without any ill:feeling, the only
verbal demonstration occurring near
the end Of the meeting between Attor.
ney L. J. Warren, for the steamshit
company and Clarence HI. Olson, LEGAL
representative Of Harold w. Rice.
: cattle shipper from MAui, and A. w.
Garter, managef of>the Parker ranch IN
The meeting was called for the pur.'
pose OF hearing specific complaints
from merchants in Maui and Hawaii
an regard to the new rates that have
p been in effect since September 4. aud
number Of PERSONS were subpoened
as witnesses. Nearly score OF com.
plainants were present, but during the
session that lasted three hours but
little was accomplished. sEr 4
Mauites Given. First Chance a ~
Particular interest was attached to
the testimony that was expected from
81 A. w. Carter who protested against
the rates two weeks ago through codn-
sol. At that time the meeting was con.
tinued until yesterday in order to per.
init Carter to make his complaint In
person. Carter was in readiness YES.
terday to voice his complaints, but,
= after an arrangement had been made
with the Maui contingency, which was.
anxious to return home, it was agreed
to hear the Mauites first and take up
the complaints Of Carter on next Tues
day morning at ten o clock. ID n
The nearest thing to real tilt hap.
pened at the end of the meeting when
Attorney Warren, on behalf or the.
steamship company, asked permission
to present the company's. case after
) all complaintsr had been heard. This
was during the examination of James
l.. Mclean, vice-president of the com.
pany, who was being questioned close
~ by Chairman Charles h. Forbes for
the eompany's reason for increasing,
the rate on beef one cent pound. 4
= 81 think it is unfair to oblige the
company to answer these questions un.
I'll we hear all the Testimony on the
other," inteljected Attorney Warren.
Company No6on Defensive r
Attorney Olson was on his feet in
an instant. For a moment the situa.
ton was tense. Olson declared that iii
was not case in court but an effort
on the partTo the utilities commission
to search out the facts in the case
~ believe there is no intention to
force Mr., Mclean to make any state.
ments that are not matters of fact,I'
he said. "And ! see no reason why
he should not be questioned by the
commission
1t so happened, however, that, Nc
Lean was not subjected to further in.
terrogation, for Attorney Warren com.
piained bitterly Of the method of draw.
ing out piece-meal the facts by what
he believed to be a mild sort of inquis
ton. ~ II .,~l - |
"Thes company, >" he said, "should
not be called upon to defend itself |
against charges that had not been spe |
cifcally made. Thesc alleged charges |
cannot be met until they are presented
The question of the rates is too com |
plicated to be decided by isolated in.
stances. Rates for separate points can
not be dealt with singly. The entire
rate question considered from all |
points on the islands should be con.
sidered. -
Text Of Maui Complaint
"GeLtIemen: At a, meeting of spe.
cial committee Of the Maui Chamber |
Of Commerce appointed to represent
the Maui Chamber Of Commerce in
considering the new tariff of the Inter,
Island Steam Navigation Company and
make representations on behalf Of that
body to your commission which meet |
ing was held on the twelfth day Of |
September, the new tariff and the .ser
vice given by, the Inter Island Steam
Navigation Company were fully dis
eussed and the committee on behalf of |
the Maui Chamber of Commerce wishes
to make the following representations
to your commission. -,f..." Il
1--WE believe that the raise on the
freight on cattle from Kahului ia vicw |
of the excellent shipping facilities Is
unwRfranted, unreasonable and discri 4
minatory. The freight rate on cattle
from Kahului TO Honolulu is five dol,
lars per head, to which is auded a
wharfage charge of fifty cents per |
head. The cattle are driven en- the
steamer from the wharf and with prac.
tically no loss Of time to, the steamer.
Mr., william Walsh, superintendent Of
the Kahului Railroad Company, Informs
this committee that on one occasion
dfty,two head of cattle were loaded on
the steamer Claudine ut Kahulm with.
in sixty seconds after the time theS i
were driven upon the wharf, This Is
Of course the best time of which record
has been kept, but Mr.. Wash further
informs this committee that the aver,
age time For loading fifty head of cat
tie at Kahului Is not more than nfteen