TAHITI STILL IN PORT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2566, 14 September 1915, Page 6

TAHITI STILL IN PORT

WAITING FOR- A FULL GREW. Tho Tahiti; with tlib wounded, soldiers on board, is still lying at.the. Glasgow 'Wharf waiting, for a full crew. . From' further. inquiries made yesterday it appears that the men liavo found «i grievance, and despite all endeavours to reconcile them they have declined to seek re-engagement on tlio vessel. When the Tahiti was engaged in the Wellington-Sail Francisco _ service she carried a full complement ill tho engine department, and was worked on. her l ! ull boiler capacity. Since she has been engaged in lier present occupation a certain, number of boilers have, it is stated,-been, cut off, but the vessel has still.-carried: the same number of men as she did when engaged in the mail service. Astliere was not enough work for "alii the men in. the stokehold one of their , number at least had been set to work in. the engine-room. The men allege that this has been contrary- to the terms. of their articles of agreement —hence tho deadlock.

'Meanwhile a large number of the returned wounded • soldiers have been' held up in Wellington away from theii homes with nothing in particular to occupy their time. They may go south on'tneir own initiative, it is true, but tliey mUBt pay their fares in tho event of their doing so. The nature of the injuries :of some of them, moreover, prevents them from travelling alone, owing .to the fact that they require attention, ,and_ these men are, to all intents and"purposes, marooned. As matters stand, no one seems to know whether a full orew will bo got together, and/indeed wlien the vessel will get 'away..- It was confidently stated yesterday/morning that she would-be able to-leave'last evening, and the Hon. 6. W."; Russell had intended to go by her tb .Christclnirch,: where he had received ih'ioffer\from Mr. John Puller of the use "of' either the Colosseum or His Majesty's Theatre for the holding of a public -reception. , Should it be found to-day that there is noi'.possibility. of the departure of the Tahiti during the day it is possible will be made for tho men -to go' down by tho ferry steamer. ' A, few of the. soldiers went south by on Saturday 'night/and a fair also left last evening,