THE TAHITI.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20026, 6 September 1930, Page 15

THE TAHITI.

LYTTELTON MAN'S STORY. ANXIOUS TIME IN ENGINE-ROOM. The only Lyttelton member of the crew of the Tahiti, and probably the onjv South Island member, is Mr William Brown, of 40 Dublin street, Lyttelton, whose account of the disaster appeared in a special message to The _ Pbess from Auckland on Thursday morning. Mr Brown arrived home yesterday and when seen by a representative of The Pbess had a few more interesting facts to relate. Mr Brown, who is an oil burner attendant, said lie had just come off watch at 4 a.m., and was putting tii : working clothes to dry when he felt-one of the engines race madly and then-come to a dead stop. Then a seamgn came run-, ning along the deck and'told; him that the shaft had gone. Mr Brown looked down into the engine-room and saw the water rushing in like a river," and those below trying to shut the water-tight door. About an hour later . all stokehold and engine-room . hands were ordered below. • He said the worst part of the mishap was the failure' of the lights, necessitating those below working mi water with only torches and flares. He described the rigging up of the baling apparatus on deck. Two 40 gallon drums were worked by the derricks and winches, constantly dipping into the holds and then emptying the contents on deck to run;out of the scuppers. "r

"We in the engine-room department," said Mr Brown, "are emphatically of the opinion that it was only the presence of mind and the activity of the second engineer, Mr A. Thomson, that saved the ship from becomiagran almost immediate loss."

Praise for Pebybryn. The work of the steamer; Penybryn, Mr Brown said, could.not be too highly praised. During the transfer of passengers and crew to the lifeboats the captain of the Penybryn with the utmost skill and daring, mancevred his ship close to the port side of the Tahiti while the port boats, with women and children arid some; of .the" men. passengers in them were lowered { arid, got away. He then brought his ship around to the starboard side while the starboard boats, with the remainder of the passengers and the crew,. were got away, the object in "both,cases.being to break the force of the sea and'.shelter the boats: The third officer was- not - the only one to get a ducking.'As the No. 3 starboard boat, containing 63 men, came alongside the Ventura those on board got tangled in the mooring line, and three men 1 were pulled oyer-' " board. However, they were quickly hauled in again, 4ind they .treated it as .. a great joke. Those on the Ventura could Jiot do too much for the rescued passengers arid cirew. All .were .treated, alike,, from saloon to greasers, andstaterooms and cabins were shared, while temporary beds and shakfe-doWns »were provided also to cope with the sudden influx. On the night before they arrived at Pago Pago the -Tahiti's passengers and crew were entertained &t a special farewell dinner, a printed menu for whieh -Mr Brown > has in- his- pos- ' , session. At Pago-Pago. - At Pago Pago theVentura-waamefc _ ■ with baiid^'and flags -were-flying eTery- - Passengers and crew: .'were 'formally granted the freedom r'of 'the * :Zsland, and- 'shooting' and-tennis -f«arties, , and football matches were- arranged. ! The crew were accommodated Naval Barraeks, where everything pos : ' ;,i sible was done for them.. They weie supplied witli any articlesof clothing-of which they, were short.-Mr 'Bpqot landed minus shoes, and was ptonij}sly. tk given- a pair. The ,-Brew ,also JiadpthaL.. i - use of the canteen and evtfn ing was done for them. > Asked what were the crew as they watched the ing, Mr Brown said: ean i—none of us conld speak. There ttm.'H the old ship settling down,, wiHt.torC,« boats, which had been scuttled, '-away' to the Btern of her. It was just like!*,-* hen and chickens.'* ' "" It was not Mr Brown's first •■"erperN, ; ence of shipwreck. He was a member of - the crew of the which' ■ was wrecked, on the eoast of Cornwall in the- depth qf winter in 1903i-On that occasion also all hands were 's&ved^ ,t>nlv by jumping into thej;r^lg^^^'^» ,^ " tind being picked up S:a boat. They were nine- hours boat, t s.^ k . ENQUIRY PUT FORWARD. • * *-• " -Jt Vi --JS ' [THE 7SBP Special B«nrtM.] "WELLINGTON, September ft. - v The nautical enquiry into theloss qS the Tahiti, originally'sot down- tor Toes.- , * day, will not now commence'till ThHx»-> day.. . ' ■ S" ■ • . i.' *—****"^B-