THE TAHITI’S CREW

Hokitika Guardian, 18 September 1930, Page 3

THE TAHITI’S CREW

NO GR ANT FOR RELIEF YET. rßv Telegraph—Press Association)’ WELLINGTON, September 17. Out of work, and having lost all of their personal belongings when tlie ship foundered, many of the Tahiti’s crew are finding it hard to keep going until the . new “Monowai” is put into Foniinission. ' Several of the stewards, who are stranded in Wellington, say that they received a month and three days’ pay from tlie Union Company when they wore, paid off on their arrival here, but that this all went in purchasing clothing to replace that lost when the Tahiti sank. They attribute their position to the Shipwreck Relief Society not making the usual grant of £ls, despite the fact that ic has £13,000 in hand. The men recall that a grant was made on the occasion ol the Manuka wreck, and they say that their loss, has been much more severe, as.extensive equipment is required on longer voyages. Mr Bar tram (Labour M.P.) stated in Parliament that he proposes to ask the Acting-Prime Minister whether the Government will reogni.se in some definite way the courage and der votion to duty of the engineers and stokers of the Tahiti, whose gallantry was specially noted in the findingof tlie nautical inquiry.