LOSS OF THE TAHITI

Hawera Star, Volume L, 11 September 1930, Page 9

LOSS OF THE TAHITI

NAUTICAL INQUIRY OPENS

CAPTAIN’S EVIDENCE

OPENING POSSIBLY TOEN IN

HOLDS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Sept, 11. The nautical inquiry into tbs loss of of the Tahiti opened to-day. Mr. J. Prendeville, who appeared for the Marine Department, when called upon by Mr. E. Page, S.M., to open, did not think it necessary to .say anything, but at once proceeded to call Mr. Gillies, assistant-superintendent engineer to the Marine Department, who produced copies of certain plans in iconnjection with the lost vessel. Captain Toten, the Tahiti’s master, produced the oiticila log book of the ship. The vessel left Auckland on August 12 for San Francisco with a crew of 149 and 103 passengers. He was asleep on the morning of August 15 when h.e was wakened by a loud noise. Within two or three minutes he had been informed that the starboard shaft had apparently broken and that the engine-room was flooded. He went straight to the engine-room to ascertain the extent of the damage and found the men up to their waists in water, and they were already shoring up the bulkhead around the bulkhead door. When this had been closed he had returned to the deck and given instructions to. send all material and whatever the engineers required at the bulkhead. He then sent wireless messages to the company and had also sent the second and third officers to prepare the boats. The position was serious, particularly after the engines stopped, and the vesel lost steerage way and got into the trough of the sea.

Witness went on to speak of sending out wireless messages and preparing the boats and passengers to leave; also tlie making of arrangements to bail the vessel when water was found to be making in the holds. Captain Toten gave details of everything done up to the time of the arrival of the Penybryn and later the Ventura. From time to time the passengers were called in readiness to take to the boats when things readied a crisis, and eventually, at 9.30 on the morning of the 17th, the engineer reported that lie could not hope to control the water. On that report witness decided to abandon the slivp. The Penybryn came closer and the Ventura was in sight. When the Ventura arrived at 10.15 there were about six boats in the water. Witness left the ship at 1.35, but returned on one of the Ventura’s boats to see how long the Tahiti would float, as the Ventura was anxious to continue her voyage. The Tahiti sank at. 2.34 p.m. Asked if he had any theory as to the cause of the loss of the ship, witness was only able to surmise that when the shaft broke it. was a scarf break and that an opening was torn into Nos. 3 and 4 holds. In response to questions witness said that the Penybryn was ready from the time of her arrival to take the passengers. The engineers of the Tahiti behaved without reproach and did everything in their power. Evidence was also given by Duncan McKenzie, .second officer, wlio was on watch at the time of the accident and afterwards in charge of the preparation of the boats and the arrangements for leaving the ship.