VESTRIS ENQUIRY.

Grey River Argus, 3 December 1928, Page 5

VESTRIS ENQUIRY.

, Davies’ Testimony. CAPTAIN “HOPELESS". (Australia.! & N.Z. Cable Assn). NEW YORK, November 30. When Davies testified before -Attorney Tuttle’s enquiry, he said that he never saw th) -, captain oi the v ostris from the time of sailing, aii though assigned to his table. He dcI dared that h e was refused permission to send a radiogram to New York concerning the ship’s position. “Thby told me they needed the wireless themselves to gct« the position from, the land stations," k said. He recalled that one of the radio operators told him just b- lore tlu > Vestris sank that the motor ship Santa "Barbara was only sixty miles away. He saw a?', officer running to the men, who were putting down W*Omen and children in the port boats, and tell them, that Captain Carey wanted them piaced in th/• starboard boats, but .this order was not complied with. It was at. Davies’ insistence that a piece of tin was nailed over a iiol ■ in lifeboat No 8, though an officer had said tlia leak would ‘ ‘ swell shut. ’ ’ Captain Carey appeared “hopeless” as lie pUccd the deck, aaid Davies distinctly heard the captain say, “Goodbye, boys. ’ ’ Officers of the st*, amor Montow testified it was now apparent that the latter vessel passed, within six miles of the Vestris on the morning of the disaster, and was only dv-uuit thirtyfive to forty-five miles when the distress signal was sent, but had no wireless. Mr Tuttle declared that he introduced th Testimony, with a view to possible Regulation compelling the carrying of wireless equipment.