WESTPORT HARBOUR BOARD AFFAIRS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1856, 16 September 1913, Page 7

WESTPORT HARBOUR BOARD AFFAIRS.

COMMISSION RESUMES. (By Teleeraph—Press Association.) Westport, Soptembor 15. . Evidence w<is given at the Harbour Commission to-day by Captains Pryde, Holmes, and Mawson, all on lines similar to tliat given previously by captain's of vessels. Mr. ■Bsrrowman, of Nelson, formerly inspector for tho Harbour Board works, considered it unwiso to construct walls without staging, as tho ecour would wash away much'of tho stone. Mr.. F. I' 1 . Munro gavo further evidence. _Ho did not accopt as all gospel the condemnation of .tho floating basin. Ho beliovod that tho port had a great future, as there were big fields ;of coal at Blackburn requiring a 6J miles addition of railway to that at present constructed, also nt Charleston and Brighton, and indications of a largo field of coal on the field between Cape Fouhvind and Addison. Ho believed the demands on coal for mail boats would be great when tho Panama Canal was .constructed, and that big works must- necessarily be . proceeded with nt Wostport to meet the occasion. Asked by Mr._ Ferguson if he did not think it a mistake not to conseryo tho coal there was in the countrv for the country's use, witness said they might look foolish if they nursed 'their coal now and later found that'other agencies, such as oil and electricity, had displaced coal as a commercial asset.'