TITANIC DISASTER

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10640, 20 May 1912, Page 5

TITANIC DISASTER

CABLE NEWS

(United Press Association — By 'Electric Telegraph — Copyright.)

THE DUFF-GORDONS BOAT

WHY IT DID NOT RETURN.

(Received Last Night, ITo o'clock.)

LONDON, May 18.

Atb the Titanic enquiry, the seaman HjeiuMcksen was recalled, and asked why he had stated that the Duff-Gor-dons had prevented the boat in which they were passengers from returning to ithe rescue of the others. He explained tihat he thought the question was referred to the crew.

S'yrwonds, who was in charge of the boat, testified that he did not think at safe to return to tile rescue ,lest itJie boat be swamped. He did not hear anyone suggeisit returning. He now realised that they might have saved a good many. The story of an lAimenican millionaire bribing the orew was untrue. He adintited that someone representing the Duff-Gord-ons had obtained a signed statement from him.

Sir Cosmo Duff's counsel stated that a solicitor, mistakenly supposing that he was retained for the DuffGordons, had interviewed Symons. Tayflov, a fiireman, tesitfied that he heard raraeone suggest (returning, ,and Lady Duff-Gordon talk of the irisk of swamping. Two male passengers agreed that it would be dangerous to return. Then Symons ordered ithem to row away. They could have saved twenty-five or thirty souls.