THE MANUKA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 85, 21 January 1930, Page 5

THE MANUKA.

TRIBUTE TO ENGINEERS. (Special to the “Guardian.”; WELLINGTON, Jnnu. 20. In a letter to the secretary of the Wellington Branch of the New Zealand Marine Engineers’ Institute, Captain Boss Clark pays a generous tribute to the .bravery and devotion to duty of the engine-room stall ot the lost ship. . . , ~ . „ “Now that the inquiry into the los.> of the Manuka has concluded,” writes Captain Clark, “1 would like to record mv admiration and appreciation ot the ship’s engineers during that trying period from the time the ship struck until all the passengers and crow were safely embarked in the boats*. In o\oi\ respect, from the chief engineer down, they upheld the highest traditions ot the British Merchant Service “Whilst in charge of No. 1 lifeboat, which was full ol water and kept afloat only by her nir-tiglit tanks, the chief engineer (Mr E. A.' Griffiths) took a full load of passengers, mostly women and children. After disti Uniting Those passengers amongst the other boats then in the water. Mr Griffiths returned to the ship and managed to o-et a line on hoard, when he kept Ins boat in such a position that a large number, of passengers and the crew were able to climb through the water hv means of the lino to tlie nonvK • submerged boat, thus lessening the number left on the wreck. The clnei engineer did verv valuable work indeed. Things were looking very serious by this time, and it seemed only a matter of minutes before the slap would go. , “Mr Griffiths stood by do£C to the ship unt>l ordered away to a safe distance. Personally, l consider that the courage and disregard for danger shown hv the chief engineer, coupled with the able management of his boat, was one of the main factors in the safe embarkation of all the passengers and crew". “That the engineers stuck to their posts until ordered on deck. T suppose, it is needless to relate. That would naturally bo expected of them. but. in this instance the shin aws pounding heavily and had an alarming list, which was rapidly increasing. They stayed below through this for over an hour, until ordered on deck, and when on deck tliev were conspicuous for their disregard of danger, and their able assistance, especially Mr Tv. J. McLeod, second engineer, who lent verv valuable assistance indeed.” The engineers who were on watch when the"\shin struck and who remained at their posts until ordered up an hour later were Mr .T. numbers, fourth engineer, and Mr D. Mykenzie, seventh engineer.