LOSS OF TAHITI

Hokitika Guardian, 19 August 1930, Page 5

LOSS OF TAHITI

TAHITI SINKS. '\f- Wellington, August 18. i . The liner Tahiti sank this afternoon about a quarter to five. All of the Tahiti’s newspapers, packages and parcels mail were lost. ; During the;,transference of the letter mails aboard ? the ; Ventura, six of the bags were .lost./ iv- y-A Sixty bagf-of letters . became wet.. All the remainder -of the letter mail has been saved intact.

j WELLINGTON,- August 18. The Tahiti sank at 4.42 p.m. by the Ventura’s , time, according to the Onion Coy.’s advice. The captain of the Tahiti advises ‘ that all of .(. the passengers and the crew are safe aboard the Ventura. WELLINGTON, August 18. The following radio ; message was sent üby the Merchant Service Guild to the.master qf the Tahiti: “Congratulations from- the Merchant Service Guild of NeW .Zealand on the successful transferipf'.al] to safety.” v ' ■/. 1 • 1 • — • • * ' ■ ■VENTURA ': y. : l:\ U , ttipl-f/3 ' FOR TAGO PAGO. f* :_'v ; '' ' WEEpiNG^QN, ; lugust'is.:, ■ ilitor The Unionßomany, received - adyifie Ijhat,'following on the sinking of the Tahiti, the Ventura set out for the port of Pago Pago, where the Tahiti’s island passengers and crejv will be di«r.. embarked. The Ventura .thence will be going to San Frapcisco. with the Tahiti’s American and European passengers. . TOFUA’Si ITINERARY;

WELLINGTON, August 18. ” <lhe steamer T-6fuaA|» k Nukualofa, i»ud is l '4ue ' there-ott Wed* nesday raoriiin'g, '' - «>•' - ; .f L On her run round the islands-, she • Will call •Phjgby^ifind r 4hei‘ia ; f pick : up the TahitVss^fficrs 1 and crew ■;“ 1 ; ? The Tofu»' -;is dotr-tb leave 'Suva bn August' 30 for ■ Auckland, where she is due on September 4th, three days later than usual. •> • A ; WELLINGTON, August 18. The Tofua .lias-beendiverted to pick up the Tahiti's.* island passengers and crew at Pagb Pago. ' 3 • The crew are returning to New Zealand. ' V; ■-■V; ■'

THE CARGO. 'ti ')&:■%' :■ INSURANCES REMAIN., A, ..SECRET, WELLINGTON i' August 18. The Tahir’s cargo ’’ comprises 10R tons for RaratpngaV‘2oo tons for Papeete, and 200 tons for, San Francisco. The steamer ..iyfts carrying a quantity of foodstuffs for the Islands, and a miscellaneous assortment of goods for San Francisco, , The Company .refuses to divulge anything about the .insurances. There are about 7,00 bags of mail nvd 111 receptacles of parcels* from Nb.w Zealand.

“ STEAMER SINKS YESTERDAY

ALL ON BOARD SAVED

ALSO MOST OF THE MAILS

(By Telegraph—Press Association).

THE BREAKDOWN MYSTERY. AN UNPRECEDENTED ONE. SYDNEY, August 18. Tlib bfficiais of Mort’s Dock, Sydney, where' the Tahiti was last overheauled are unable to offer any theory of the cause of her breakdown. From the limited information available, they are mystified by the overwhelming inrush of water when the watertight door should have cheeked it, and have saved the/engine room. THe 'officials can’ only surmise that the break was of a universal character, doing such sudden and extensive damage that the engineers were powerless to cope with it. No other accident producing a similar result has been recorded. MANGANUI TO TAKE THE. -'/L, RUN MARAMA FOR SYDNEY RUN.

WELLINGTON, August 18. The Union Company announces that the Maunganui which at present is engaged in the New- Zealand-Sydney service, will take, the Tahiti’s running in the San Francisco service. at present laid up in Wellington owing to slackness in the intercolonial passenger service, will take the Maunganui’s place in that service. The .Maunganui will commence her new running from Sydney on October 22nd, the date on which the ill-fated Tahiti, would have left on her next trip to Sail Francisco. The.lYlarama will pick up the Mnunganpi’S; ...running in the inter-colonial service !: from Auckland, leaving that port pp -Tuesday, September 26th, tor Sydney.;.; y■ ■ f •*>»*.. i. f » H I''"*’’.* ~.. f, ..... . t, . ' t . .1 v W ; Li A THEORY.

former marine engineer advances the possible theory that one of the TaiiiiPs propellors struck some floating object, , possibly a spar, the effect ol wmcli might easily be to drive the other end of the object with, terrific velocity against the hull plates, .penetrating a vital part find possibly involving serious) damage to the bulk head. , ./■ i , .-BRITISH MAIL MATTERS. WELLINGTON, August 19. The 'Secretary of the General Post that due to the loss of the R.M.S. Tahiti, the letter portion of the mails for .Great Britain which ■were despatched by that vessel on the 12th inst, has been transferred to the Ventura, and will now reach London on approximately 14th September. It is further announced that a re-questlin-s been made to the London Posti'Office to, despatch by the S.S. Rangitata,- which is due to depart from Southampton on 29th August, mails that have been forwarded to connect at San!Francisco with the Tahiti on the 3rd September,, These mails are now due toarrive in Wellington on Ist October/ instead of 22nd September.