WRECK OF THE MANUKA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20931, 22 January 1930, Page 11

WRECK OF THE MANUKA.

SHIPS ENGINEERS PRAISED. LETTER FROM THE MASTER. The full text of the letter to the secretary of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Marine Engineers' Institute in which Captain Ross Clark paid a generous tribute to the bravery and devotion to duty of the engine room staff of the lost ehip, is as follows: " Now that the inquiry into the loss of the Manuka has concluded," writes Captain Clark, "I would like to record my admiration and appreciation of the ship's engineers during that trying period from the time the ship struck until all the passengers and crew were safely embarked in the boate. In every respect, from the chief engineer down, they upheld the highest traditions of the British Merchant Service. "Whilst in charge of No. 1 lifeboat, which was full of water and kept afloat only by her air-tight tanks, the chief engineer (Mr E. A. Griffiths) took off a full load of passengers, mostly women and children. After distributing these passengers amongst the other beats then in the. water, Mr Griffiths returned to the ship and managed to get a line on board, when he kept his boat in such a position that a large number of passengers and the crew vere able to climb through the water by means of the line to the nearly-submerged boat, thus lessening the number left on the wreck. The chief engineer did very valuable .rork indeed. Things were looking very serious by this time, and it seemed only a matter of minutes hpfnrp the ship would go. I'Mr Griffiths stood by close to the ship until ordered away to a safe distance. Personally, I consider that the (courage and disregard for danger ehown by the chief engineer, coupled with the able management of his boat, was one of the main factors in the safe embarkation of all the passengers and crew \ "That the engineers stuck to 'their faosts until ordered on deck, I suppose it 5b needless to relate. That would naturally be expected of them, but in this instance the ship was pounding heavily and ; lad an alarming list, which was rapidly ncreasing. They stayed below through his for over an hour, until ordered on . [eck, and when on deck they were coni picuoua_ for their disregard for danger ; .nd their able assistance, especially Mr ,31. J. M'Leod, second engineer, who lent tery valuable assistance indeed." 'I The engineers who were on watch when the ship struck and who remained at their posts until ordered up an hour later jyere Mr J Chambers, fourth engineer, and Mr D. M'Kenzie, seventh engineer.