TAHITI INQUIRY.
Per Press Association
WELLINGTON, Sept. 11. At the nautical inquiry into the loss of the Tahiti, in answer to a question Captain Toten said the chief engineer and the staff acted without reproach. They did everything in their power. To Mr Whyte, who wanted the reply placed on record, he said the i’enybrin on her arrival was fully prepared to take the Tahiti’s passengers. She asked if they wanted to abandon the ship that night. Penybryn did not actually, launcher her boats but was fully prepared for any action. Witness, to further question, was definitely not of opinion that the Tahiti struck a submerged object. Mr Duncan McKenzie, second officer, who was on watch wiien the accident occurred, said there was a rather rough sea and a long heavy swell. At about 4.30 a.m. he felt a violent vibration and a dull, rumbling sound. The engine-room rang “stop” and in about a minute indicated they had stopped. He knew something very unusual had happened in the engine-room. Witness immediately went down and notified the captain. The captain was out of bed. While speaking to the captain a messenger arrived from the engine-room with a verbal message that apparently the starboard tailshaft had broken, the tunnel watertight door was closed, and the engineroom was filling rapidly. Witness went back to the bridge. The Tahiti was still steering her course and the other engine was going slowly. At approximately six o’clock he was sent by the captain to see that all the boats were in order for a hurried abandonment of the ship. Ho saw that all the boats were with extra provisions and everything ready for any emergency. ft was 6.1 d when the port engine stopped. Witness was on board the Tahiti till the last boat left and he returned with the master for a final look round. All the boats and lifesaving appliances were in perfect order.
After lunch the Court is going to inspect the steamer Marama, Mr Page wishing to see the ship himself in order to get ail idea of the internal construction of vessels.
An earlier message appears on page 7.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MS19300911.2.12
Bibliographic details
Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 245, 11 September 1930, Page 2
Word Count
358TAHITI INQUIRY. Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 245, 11 September 1930, Page 2
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Manawatu Standard. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in