WESTPORT HARBOUR AFFAIRS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1863, 24 September 1913, Page 7

WESTPORT HARBOUR AFFAIRS.

INQUIRY RESUMED,

(3y T«lcßrnnh.—Press Association.! Wcstport, September 23. Bcforo tlic Harbour Board Commi&w sion, Mr. C. N. Greenland, secretary and' treasurer of tlio Wcstport Harbour Boarc], gave evidence concerning business dealings with tlio board of certain board members iind non-payment for hire of plant and tho method of issuing stores, and handed in documents and records of tho board covering tho general operations of . tho board. Ho iiad heard no direct complaints of mea idling timo awa.v. Witness gavo evidence of tho method of employing men and tho system of keeping a record of tho cost of each man's work. Ho also spoko concerning tho granting to Messrs. Colyin and Macmahoh of land 1 on tho south side of the river; The chairman of tho commission remarked that Mr. Colrin appeared to liavo got, land without the conditions tho Harbour Board imposed on the Golf Club when it endeavoured to get a pastoral license over the land," and without tho application having como before the Harbour Board.

Evidence was also given by Mr. J. C. Brown, tho Westport Coal Company's Dciiniston manager, and Mr. C. G. G.' Curtis, tlio company's Westport manager, mainly on tho extent and quality of the coal and business dealings.

Mr.. J. Hawes, inspector of Works, elaborated on tho report submitted by him to tho board shortly after--his _ appointment to tho inspectorship, mainly covering tho maintenance of tho Cape Foulwind lino, defective rolling stock, concessions to a sawmilling firm, and condemnatory of tho class of stono placed in tho breakwater. Ho had no objection to tho method of charging freight on sawn timber, and did not suggest that tho sawmilling firm, lmd a "pull" on tho Harbour Board, but lie reported what ho saw, on account of the millers on the Government line complaining of tho firm on tho board's line getting an advantage over them. lie admitted it might bo part of the board's policy to grant a concession. The commission is sitting from early morning till lato at night in an endeavour to complete tho inquiry at Wcstport by Thursday night.

Ono of tho sensations of the season of tlio Quinlan Opera Company in Melbourne has boon tlio production of Clinrpentier's "Louise," admittedly ono of tlio finest performances in the company's repertoire. Many opera-lovers— even bearing ill mind "Madame Hutterfly," witli its prosent-day atmosphere— liave been amazed at tho modernity which characterises every detail of "Louiso," with its action taking plnco in tlio yonr 1900, and its representation of a certain aspect of domestic life, 'l'lio vivid appeal which it makes to opera lovors and theatregoers generally is largely due to the realism with which tlio story is invested, and thero must bo many who, seeing tho domestic picture disclosed in the home of Louise, with its sordid, distasteful surroundings, uncongenial kitchen atmosphere, and nagging parent, exclaim: ''What a picture of real life!" The acting of Edna Thornton as the mother, AY. J. Samuell asHho father, and Jeanne Hrola as Louiso impresses itself so deeply on the memory as to form a picture not easily cfl'aced by tlio hand of time.