HEROIC SPIRIT SHOWN.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 21 August 1930, Page 5

HEROIC SPIRIT SHOWN.

THE CRISIS ON THE‘TAHITI.

GREAT RECEPTION TO PASSENGERS, CREW AND RESCUERS.

COURAGEOUS ACT OF CAPTAIN TOTEN AND SHIP’S CARPENTER.

(By Telegraph-Press Assn.-Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) PAGO PAGO, August 20.

The most serious and emotional upset of the Tahiti rescue seems to have been the fainting of two women during the course of the rescue operations. Stories of the Ventura’s remarkable exploit echoed through Pago Pago today as she sailed away to San Francisco after making a seven hours’ stop to facilitate the handling, of the survivors. The telegraph lines were swamped with messages of thanks and congratulations for Captain Meyer and the crew. A banquet was given to the rescuers and rescued. The first assistant engineer of the Tahiti, Mr A. Thomson, Avas also hailed as a hero. Every signal station in the harbour spelled out “Well done” in international code flags as the Ventura approached. Sir Hugh Allen, who Avas a passenger on the Tahiti, praised the conduct of the ill-fated Liner’s ereiv. None of the passengers, he said, knew of the danger until hours after the propcllorshaft broke. He added, “The fight to keep the Tahiti afloat and the rescue operations Avere carried out as if they Avere drills. ’ ’ ,

Bishop Bennett said that the passengers became slightly nervous when a commotion was heard among the crew, but came on deck only to meet smiling officers and stewards, who requested that they don life-preservers. When the lights went out on Saturday night, flashlights and a few lanterns served thd' sleepless cjompany. The Bishop added, “There was no uncertainty among the passengers and crew of the Tahiti. All hands were admirable in handling the situation. It was done so well that it seemed to lack direction.”

Chief Officer Trask, of the Ventura, said that all the boats of the Tahiti were scuttled and the air-tanks smashed. When the ship did not sink as rapidly as was expected, Captain Toten and the ship’s carpenter (Guy Borthvvick) went aboard' her and opened two water tight doors and ran for it. They had time to laugh, however, when the carpenter slipped on the wet sloping deck in his scramble back to safety. The Tahiti sank in five minutes.

"Captain Toten and his crew of 149 and 17 of the Tahiti’s passengers left the Ventura here.