TAHITI'S COURSE

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 122, 19 November 1927, Page 9

TAHITI'S COURSE

WAS IT ALTERED?

GREYCLIFFE DISASTER

EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY

(United Press Association.—Copyright.) SYDNEY, 18th November.

The Federal inquiry into the collision between the ferry steamer Greycliffe and the Tahiti was continued to-day. Los Blakeney, master of the. tug Bimbi, gave evidence that before the collision he heard two blasts and saw two puffs of steam at the funnel of the | Tahiti. The was five seconds before the impact. Witness added that the Tahiti, because of the speed she was travelling at, could not have avoided colliding with the Greyeliffe when the latter changed her course. IMPORTANT "IF." . Rupert Nixon, seaman on the Manly ferry steamer Burrabra, said that at the time of the disaster he was steering the Burrabra, and the Burrabra had to travel 13.} knots an hour to keep to her schedule. They were behind the Tahiti, but did not gain on her. He was of opinion that if the Greyeliffe had continued without altering her course and the Tahiti had slowed down there would have been no collision. Arthur Pixlcy, a passenger on the Burrabra, stated that at the time of the accident the Tahiti was about 500 yards ahead of the Burrabra. Before the collision the Tahiti appeared to change her course, and he heard the blast of her whistle. Between that and the collision was only a matter of moments. PARALLEL TO CONVERGING. Tom King, leading stoker on the destroyer Success, gave evidence that when he saw the Tahiti passing the pontoon at Garden Island she was travelling at 13 knots on a course parallel with the Greycliffe's. He saw the Tahiti change her course to starboard after passing Clark Island. This caused the Tahiti ana the Greyclifle to be on converging courses. He couia sco there was going to be a smash. The Tahiti changed her course to port a few seconds before the collison. Witness added that he did not sco the Greyeliffe change her course. He did not think there was any danger of collision until tne laniti changed her course.