VESTRIS INQUIRY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 297, 1 December 1928, Page 5

VESTRIS INQUIRY

JOURNALIST’S EVIDENCE

REFUSED PERMISSION TO SEND RADIOGRAM.

HEARD THE CAPTAIN SAY, “GOOD-BYE, BOYS.”

(United Press Association—By Cable Copyrigm.)

[Australian and N.Z. Press Assn.]

(Received I, 10.10 a.m ) New York, Nov. 30. The journalist, Mr. Davies, testified before Mr. Tuttle’s inquiry. He said that he never saw the captain of the Vestris from the time of sailing although he was assigned to his table. He declared that he was refused permission to send a radiogram to New York concerning the ship’s position.

‘‘They told me they needed the wireless themselves to get their position from land stations,” he said. He added that one of the radio operators told him just before the Vestris sank that the motor ship Santa Barbara was only 60 miles away. He saw an officer running to the men who were putting women and children in the port boats and heard him tell them that Captain Caaey wanted them placed in the starboard boats, but this order was not complied with. It fras at Mr. Davies’ insistance that a piece of tin was nailed over a hole in lifeboat No. 8 .though an officer had said that the leak would “swell and shut.” Captain Carey, said Davies, appeared “hopeless” as he paced the deck, and he (Davis) distinctly heard the captain say, “Good-bye, boys.” Officers of the steamer Montoso tes titled that it was now apparent that the latter vessel passed within six miles of the Vestris on the morning of the disaster and was only distant 35 or 45 miles when the distress signal was sent, but they had no wireless.

Mr. Tuttle declared that he had introduced this testimony with a view to possible legislation compelling the carrying of wireless equipment.