TENSE HOURS ABOARD

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1061, 27 August 1930, Page 9

TENSE HOURS ABOARD

CREW WORKS IN WATER UP TO NECKS TAHITI’S LAST VOYAGE Reed. 9.5 a.m. HONOLULU, Tuesday. Tense hours aboard the doomed liner Tahiti are described by the passengers, some of whom arrived hero on the Ventura today.

Mr. William Griffiths, of Melbourne, said the passengers, who were crowded in the lounge, expecting every moment to be called to enter the boats, maintained good spirits, singing and listening to the radio, but their outward calm masked their inward anxiety. There was not one case of hysterics. When spending two hours in the boats iu a somewhat rough sea he “felt

as if lie were rowing to Rarotonga. It was a wonderful feeling.” When the Ventura appeared, the smile with which the assistant purser welcomed the Tahiti passengers was truly marvellpus. Mt.. Fred. Walker, of Melbourne, says he heard a noise at 4.30 a.m. from the engine room and shortly afterward was notified to don a lifebelt. He inspected the engineroom and found the engineers working up to their necks in water repairing the damage. He declared the conduct of the engine crews was wonderful. They were working steadily for 60 hours trying to keep the water checked.

IN THE OPEN BOATS After the Ventura was sighted every boat was manned and afloat within 12 minutes. The occupants spent an hour and a-lialf on the sea and all were transferred without even a wetting. Mr. B. T. Isgrig, of Mount Isaac, Queensland, who is en route to Russia, said it was an interesting experience to look back upon, but he was apprehensive at the time. The officers and crew were on the job every minute. Meals were served regularly as if nothing had happened, and the only hardship was that the lights were out temporarily, and the lack of a radio, which was later repaired. “But how we cheered the Penybryn when she hove in sight about midnight,” he said, “and also the Ventura next day, after being called three times to the boats. “The cool and efficient conduct of the officers inspired confidence in every passenger.” BOY WAS THRILLED The most pleased passenger aboard was the 13-year-old boy, lan Lochhead, of Mildura, Australia, who enjoyed sleeping on deck and was thrilled by the transfer in the boats. His clothes mostly went down with the family’s ten trunks, but lan looks forward to getting a new outfit in San Francisco. ,

“Mother always said it was hard to get me up iu the morning, but this time 1 got out of bed so fast that I surprised myself,” he said. All passengers interviewed express the highest praise for the officers and crew of the Tahiti and of the Ventura. A sum of £7O has been collected for the Tahiti’s engineers and stewards.

Messrs. Walker, Griffiths, Sir Hugh Allen, Harold Raiding and J. J. Woel comprised a committee to purchase gifts in Honolulu as an appreciation of the Ventura’s officers and crew.