SINKING OF TAHITI

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20010, 19 August 1930, Page 11

SINKING OF TAHITI

f Passengers and Crew Safe. f ' \ TRANSFERRED TO VENTURA. Salvage of Vessel Proves Impossible. "The Tahiti sank at 4.42 p.m., Ventura's time." This announcement made by the Union Steam Ship Company to the Press Association told of the end of a fine ship that had more than its share of ill-fortune. All the passengers and the crew were then safe aboard the Ventura, which was proceeding to Pago Pago. Although the ship was helpless for two and a half days before she sank, and no assistance came to the scene until near the end of the second day, the disaster was attended by no loss of life. At Pago Pago the crew and those passengers who were bound for the Islands are to be disembarked, while the Ventura will go on to San Francisco with the passengers for America and Europe. The Tofua, which is xeturning to Nukualofa, and is due there on Wednesday, is to be diverted to Pago Pago to pick up the Islands passengers and the crew. Although the steamer Penybryn was standing by the Tahiti all through Sunday night, it was evidently not considered necessary to tranship the passengers until the Ventura arrived on the scene yesterday morning. The first boat-loads of passengers were taken aboard the Ventura at 8 a.m., and all :f thett were safe by 10.50 a.m. The crew remained on board the Tahiti after the passengers had left, and a message sent out at this time stated that things were much better since the passengers had left the ship. Apparently all hope of saving the Tahiti was not given up immediately, but later she. was completely abandoned, and the crew also had been taken aboard the Ventura by 2.20 p.m. « Apart from six letter bags that were lost, and fifty that became wet, all the letter mail carried by the Tahiti was safely : transferred to the Ventura. The newspapers, packets, and parcels were abandoned. The New Zealand mails on the Tahiti, taken aboard at Wellington, included 699 bags of mail and 111 parcels receptacles. The present news concerning the disaster will be the fullest Available until the Ventura reaches a port in cable communica- , tfen with the outside world, or until the members of the crew . return. The Tofua, after picking up the officers and crew of _. the at Pago Pago, is now to leave Suva for Auckland j oa Augiiist 30th where she is due on September 4th, three days fafer tiuui usual.

REPLACING THE TAHITI f MAUNGANUI TO TAKE UP SERVICE. [THB PBEBB Special Beivice.] " WELLINGTON, August 18. The Union Company announces that the Maunganui, at present engaged in fhe New Zealand-Sydney service, will the Tahiti's running in the San Ftyiteisco service. The Marama, at pre* feat'laid up at Wellington owing to in the intercolonial passenger tfpriee, will take the Maunganui's wee in that service. The Maunganui ieommence her new running from iey on October 2nd, the date on b the Tahiti would have left on next trip to San Francisco. The tma will pick up lie Maunganui 'a ing in the intercolonial service Auckland, leaving that port oa jmber 26th for Sydney, a Tofua is returning to Nukualofa, is due there op Wednesday mornOn her run round the Islands she tall at Pago Pago and pick up the fci's officers and crew, and is now ive Suva on AugUßt 30th for Auclcwhere she is due on September jjtkj three days later than usual. CAUSE OF THE LEAK. g&jjflNJON OF PROFESSOR CULL. l ' : i That it would be possible for a whole i* tangfti of shuft to come adrift with the Speller of a twin-screw vessel such as the Tahiti, was the opinion expressed \ lakt night by Professor J E. L. Cull, >•,' Professor of Engineering at. Canterbury College. It was difficult to understand |ho whole position, and any opinion was a matter of conjecture con- ■ . imued the professor. The condition of the seas at the time would make a considerable difference, fAd might readily hinder any means of fodjifymg the trouble from outside the jfeqsel. Again it was conceivable that jtti course of cdming adrift the propeller waft had done structural damage to ♦be hull of the ship, so causing more U'ttkage than might otherwise have been ; *|l)e caie. An accident that happened to a motor t Jfrcht in Queen Charlotte Sound showed " feTeral points of remarkably close reietnbianoe to what had happened to the . .Tahiti There also the propeller and . vWaft had come adrift, nd as it was ,-i jfauiid impossible to nope with the \ ; Considerable difficulty was experienced • jfl beaching the yacht in time to *ne- , „ it from sinking in deep wnter |;,j •" ENGINEERS MYSTIFIED. ssm . PBIBa ASSOCIATION—BI ELECTBIC V-Ss ■" TKUSOEAPH—COFTBIOHT.) i' C - . ■ (deceived August 18th, 7 p.m.) if « ! ' «fe" • SYDNEY, August 18. : * v • Officials of Morts Dock, where the was last overhauled, are unable goffer any theory as to the cause of breakdown from the limited information available. They are mystified * f? the overwhelming inrush of water Jfosn the watertight door should have • gjtoeked it and saved the engine-room. ■ ean only surmise that there was ; ©f an uuusual character doing - and extensive damage that ww powerless;, to - cope producing a" simi-. has been recorded. ,

THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OFFERS SYMPATHY. MESSAGE TO CAPTAIN. (FBZCS ASSOCIATION TX^ZOBAU.) WELLINGTON, August 18. The following message from the Governor-General (Lord Bledisloe) was transmitted to the Tahiti yesterday: — "Captain of Tahiti: Deeply concerned at the misfortune to your ship. Please convey"to the passengers, officers, and crew the sincere sympathy of her Excellency and myself in the anxious and trying period through which they are passing. The following reply, timed Sunday, 11.16 p.m., was received by Lord Bledisloe from the Tahiti's passengers:— "Governor-General, Wellington—The passengers in the ship deeply appreciate your Excellencies' kind sympathy on their behalf, and know you will rejoice with them in realising that owing to the magnificent devotion to duty shown by the commander and the entire ship's company, safety is now assured." The captain replied as follows: "On behalf of my officers and crew I have to thank your Excellencies for your kind sympathy." TAHITI'S MAILS. ' (PBKSS ASSOCIATION TILEGSAK.) WELLINGTON, August 18. When the Tahiti left Sydney she had on board a quantity of mail from Australia for the United States and Great Britain, but how much is not known locally. At Wellington the vessel took 699 bags of mail and 111 parcel receptacles from New Zealand.