LAST MOMENTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1068, 4 September 1930, Page 7

LAST MOMENTS

INCIDENTS ON DOOMED LINER HEROISM AND HUMOUR "As the Tahiti disappeared beneath the ocean, the escaping steam shot a shower of debris into the air,” said Mr. Hector McQuarrie, of Auckland, in describing the ship’s last moments. “A life-boat dropped loose and drawn by the eddies, raced abou.t in the sea as though searching for the lost ship. That was the last trace we saw of the Tahiti as we steamed away.”

When one of the ship’s officers went into the greasers’ quarters after orders had been given to take to the lifeboats, he found one man calmly shaving him- I seif. This incident was typical of the calmness of the crew in moments of danger. After being told that he must take liis place in the last of the lifeboats to leave the ship the man finished shaving', calmly wiped his razor, returned it to its case and gathered up his belongings. There was only one accident during the transference of the passengers and crew of the Tahiti to the Ventura. This was when the third officer, Mr. J. D. Crighton, fell into the sea and received a ducking. He was steering a lifeboat: containing women and children, when the oar broke and he tumbled into the water, from which his crew quickly rescued him. “I heard a terrific explosion, followed by a frightful vibration of the ship.” This is how Mr. H. W. Howclen, of Rotorua, described the first intimation those on the ship received that anything was amis3. He said that he dressed immediately as he heard people running along the corridors and knew that somethingserious had happened. Soon afterward, everyone was told by the stewards to go on deck and to don their life-belts. “There was no panic of any kind,” said Mr. Ilowden. “Everything went like clockwork. The only thing that worried me later was that the ship might take another kick and go to the bottom before we could get off her.” “The arrival of the Penybryn, 'he most wonderful sight we could ever see, gave everyone a chance to sleep,” said Bishop Bennett. “It was the first, time any of us had been able to close our eyes for 36 hours.” Mr. Bill Geddes, one of the ship’s firemen, took the wreck philosophically. On the Saturday afternoon, when everyone was on deck waiting for the rescue steamers to arrive, he amused the children by blowing a trumpet while he stood on his head. Shrieks of laughter accompanied his antics and the children, for the time, forgot about their predicament. Two of the ship’s pets, a cat and a canary, were lost when the vessel sank. Three canaries and two parrots were saved and were brought back to Now Zealand on the Tofua. Mr. M. Marshdale, 14 Taylor Street, Avondale, was very concerned about the loss of the cat, which he had cared for on the voyage from Wellington. Mr. Marshdale was the youngest cadet on the ship.

Captain A. T. Toten and the officers and crew of the Tahiti left for Wellington last, evening. Four extra carriages were put. on the second express to accommodate them. it is expected that the marine inquiry will be opened in Wellington almost immediately. , . - Bullion valued at £5,000 was saved from the vessel before she sank. The purser of the Tahiti, Mr. F. H. Ferguson, saw it. safely m the \entura. He also saved the sbfp’s papers, money and documents in his charge and the ship's typewriter. Passengers state that sharks were seen cruising round the Tahiti and the Ventura when they were being transferred from one ship to the other. It anyone had been thrown into the water for any length of time death might have been sudden. * * + Every person from the Tahiti expressed his or her admiration for the master of the Penybryn, Captain Thorval Salvesen, and spoke of the intense relief which came with the Norwegian vessel’s arrival in the darkness. They stated that although the. Ventura rescued them, the real rescuer was the Penybryn, which gave them their first, feeling of. security after the accident occurred.

An eight-foot swell made it difficult for the crew of the Tahiti to transfer the mails and luggage to the Ventura. The boats kept swinging on the swell and this was responsible for the loss of some of the mails, which fell into the water as it was dropped from the side of the Tahiti. Everything possible to save all the letter mail was done by the Tahiti’s crew. * . * The following passengers of the Tahiti returned by the Tofua yesterday afternoon; some of them had intended spending a holiday at various places in the Pacific: others were on their way to the United States or to Europe: Bishop Bennett and his sister, Mrs. D. IV. Steel, of Rotorua: Mr. Hector McQuarrie and Mr. R. Matthews, who were on a world tour by motor-car; Mdlle. Blanch Le Jeune, who was returning to Paris after spending a holiday in New Zealand; Dr. A. J. Brass, medical officer of health at Rarotonga ; Mr. H. W. Ilowden, Rotorua; Miss Josephine McClymont and Miss Rona Major, of Norihcote; Mrs. Jackman and child, Miss Oillings, Miss L. M. Jennings, Mr. Drummond, Mr. C. E. Rackham, Mr. Hopkins and Mr. Pokana.