HEROIC GREASERS, FIREMEN AND TRIMMERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4500, 4 September 1930, Page 2

HEROIC GREASERS, FIREMEN AND TRIMMERS.

ENGINEER’S FINE TRIBUTE. Auckland, Last' Night. “Give all the praise you can to the engine-room staff who were on duty when the smash came,” said Mr. A .Thompson, second engineer of the Tahiti, who was in the en-gine-room at the time of the mishap. “I can’t speak too highly of the two greasers and ‘three firemen who were on watch. They were Messrs Rook and C. Douglas (greasers) and J. Degnan, A. Florey and IV. Geddes (firemen). Right from the jump those men behaved like men and did their jobs without flurry or confusion. Everything' was carried out in a most orderly fashion under trying circumstances. “As a matter of fact when the water rushed in through the tunnel to the engine-room those men still stood to their posts. Truly thev were wonderful.

“When it came to the • skeleton crew to see who would remain below the whole of the firemen, trimmers and greasers tossed up. They are the best crowd of men I have over had anything to do with in my life.

“IRook was greasing the starhoard engine when she went. I A rushed to the after-eml of the tun- % nel and was met by a. flood of water. The starboard engine was racing madly and Rook was endeavouring to shut off steam. I rushed to the engine and managed to stop it. Meantime cool and collected Rook went to his post and when I called to him he had one of the wa-ter-tight compartment doors a,l- a most closed.

“Although the water was increasing vapidly every man below food to his posf and did not leave the engine-room until they were practically forced to. Their first consideration was for the passengers.” Mr. Thompson said the position looked very serious at the start. It appeared as if the Tahiti would sink rapidly, but. later it was found that on account of the measures taken below she would remain afloat for several hours. When asked if the vibration on tin* 'Tahiti was excessive before the accident, Mr. Thompson said seeing she was a light, ship it was nothing out of the ordinary; As a. matter of fact, We had been on such vessels as the Lusitania and other Atlantic boats and their vibration in comparison was greater. Even when loaded the-Tahiti liad a certain amount of vibration.