["State Steamships", The West Australian, Tuesday 17 June 1913, page 7]
STATE STEAMSHIPS.
COMMISSION OF INQUIRY.
THE MANAGER'S EVIDENCE.
The Royal Commission appointed for the purpose of investigating the affairs of the State Steamship Service, and particularly the charges levelled against the management by Mr. J. J. Holmes, was resumed at the Fremantle Local Court yesterday afternoon. Mr. Sudholz, in continuing his evidence, proceeded to deal seriatum with the points raised by Mr. Holmes.
...
Mr. Holmes said that after the Port Lincoln shipment had fallen through the instructions had not been amended.
Mr. Sudholz replied that the instructions had already been issued when the Port Lin coln shipment fell through. The chairman, however, pointed out that this statement conflicted with the file produced by Mr. Sudholz.
At this stage Mr. Sudholz said that he would ask for an adjournment. He had, he said, a ship in port, and would like a little more time to prepare his case.
The Chairman: Have you applied to the department to make arrangements to let you off during the sitting of the Commission?--Mr. Sudholz: No.
The Chairman: Then I suggest that you do so. You have not got your facts together at all, and it is no use the Commission sitting here unless you have your case prepared.
Mr. Sudholz said that it required time for a layman like himself to put all his facts together. He had come there that day with the intention of first putting his side of the case, and then asking Mr. Holmes to quote one man who would have done better under the circumstances.
The Chairman: Mr. Holmes is not concerned as to what you or anyone else might have done, but with what you have done. His documents speak for themselves. He alleges that there were breaches of contract, and it is for you to answer those charges. So far you have ignored the main charges. It was decided to adjourn to 11.30 a.m. to-day, when evidence will be given by the officers of the Kwinana.
