LAST SCENES ON TAHITI

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1930, Page 9

LAST SCENES ON TAHITI

GAIETY OF THE PASSENGERS STORY OF TRANSHIPMENT ONLY SHIP’S CANARY LOST By Telegraph—Pres* Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 8.50 p.m. Honolulu, Aug. 20. After the Tahiti accident and while z awaiting the arrival of the Ventura, passengers on the stricken ship jigged radio listening sets and heard a description of their own plight being broadcast from Sydney, also the cricket score in the Test match. There was a difficulty when the passengers were instructed to take their positions beside the lifeboats. They refused to remain in their places as they were more interested in the radio sets than in the lifeboats. One young man was in the engine-room shaving when orders were given to abandon the ship. He showed no concern or hurry. When told to hurry he said ho wanted a nice clean shave before, boarding tlie foreign vessel. . , The British ensign was hoisted befme the Tahiti took the final plunge. Coptain Toten boarded the Ventura iu Lt boat, taking with him the Amc iean ensign which was unfurled just be fore reaching the Ventura amidst cheers from both the British and American passengers. All the passengers stood in silence with hats removed .is the vessel took the final plunge. Older members of the crew and officers who had been on the Tahiti a considerable time shed tears and were unashamed o - emotions. All the lifeboats of the Tahiti had holes knocked in the air tank* and then the plugs were pulled and the boats allowed to sink alter the rescue work was finished.

PRECISION AND CALMNESS. ■ .The crew was very well drilled in “abandon ship” practice and each time the call came there waft maiked pie eision and calmness, with the passengers taking part, as if it were an evei j-.. day occurrence and were staged fo their entertainment. The men passengers- passed jokes among the women and children. / The mail was remoied by J. U- uiei o , New Zealand Government agent, irom the compartments, the watertight bulk heads of which were bulging irpm tae pressure on the other side. Ab°ut 24 ba"S were wet from the wash and spiay in ° the boats. He took oil 230 bags of first-class and registered mail, lhe balance, which comprised second-e.ass mail matter, was abandoned. _ The only injury or loss 01 lite was the ship’s x .et canary, which was a wonderful singer and will remembered by all the passengers. While bein* handed from a Tahiti boat to tne Ventura by a passenger the cage was dropped overboard and the bird «as drowned. f When described as a hero Die clnei engineer said: ‘-Don't call me a hero; the hero is the fellow who made the pumps. They worked wonderfully without the slightest hitch and it was due to them that we were able to remain alloat until the arrival of the Ventura. Before the arrival of the Ventura the Tahiti’s stewards took charge of the bailing apparatus which was over Nos. 3 and 4 hatches with 80-o-allon receptacles on the end of a wire attached to the winches. They continued. hoisting and emptying the water over the side without a pause from the time of the accident till the abandonment of the ship. . The passengers were not permitted to sleep, but remained in the social hall anil lounges. Mattresses were spread on the decks, also rugs and blankets. The passengers were continually in the mood for dancing to jazz, music coining in over the radio from Sydney and Wellington radio stations. After the last passengers and mail had left the vessel Engineer McPherson and his assistant Thompson shut off the oil fires which were keeping up a sufficient head of steam to keep the pumps going, leaving the pumps to operate on the remainder of the steam in the boilers while they left the- vessel. The Tahiti was slow in sinking and the carpenter returned, smashing the glass lights in the portholes with a sledgehammer and thus saving the Ventura time in standing by until the derelict menace was removed.