FOUNDERING OF THE TAHITI

Taranaki Daily News, 28 August 1930, Page 13

FOUNDERING OF THE TAHITI

PASSENGERS TELL THEIR STORY. By Telegraph-Press- Assn.- Copyright. Honolulu, August 26. Mr. William Griffiths, Melbourne, who lias arrived by the Ventura, described the tense hours aboard the lahiti while awaiting rescue. The passengers, when crowded in the lounge expecting momentarily to enter the boats, maintained good spirits by singing and listening to the radio. Their outward calm masked their inward anxiety, but there was not one case of hysterics. ■'•When spending two hours *iu* the Imats ’ after leaving the Tahiti in a somewhat rough sea we felt as if we were rowing to Rarotonga,’’ said Mr, Griffiths. “It was a .wonderful feeling when the Ventura appeared. The cheery smile with which the assistant-purser welcomed us was truly marvellous.’’ All the passengers when interviewed o-ave the highest praise for the officers and crew of the Tahiti and Ventura. Seventy pounds were collected for the Tahiti’s engineers and, stewards. Messrs. Fred Walker, William Griffiths, Harold Rabling, J. J. Wood ami Sir Hugh* Allen are a committee to purchase gifts at .Honolulu as an appreciation of the work of the Ventura’s officers and crew. Air. B. T. Isgrig, Alount Isaacs, Queensland, en route to Russia, said it was an interesting experience to look back upon, but he was apprehensive at the time. The officers and crew were on the job every minute, and the meals were served as regularly as if nothing had happened. The only hardship was the lack of lights and the lack of the radio, which was later repaired. "But how we cheered the Penbryn when she hove into sight about midnight, and also the Ventura next day, after .we had been called three times to the boats. The cool and efficient conduct of the officers inspired confidence in every passenger." . ' Air. Fred Walker, Melbourne, said he heard a noise at 4.30 a.m. from the en-gine-room, and shortly afterwards was notified -to don his lifebelt. Air. Walker inspected the engine-room and found the engineers wording up to their necks in water repairing the damage. He declared that the engine crew’s conduct was wonderful. They * were working steadily for (50 hours trying to keep the water checked. -After the Ventura had been sighted every boat was manned and afloat within 12 minutes. They spent an hour and a half on the sea. All were transferred without even a wetting.

The most pleased passenger was the 13-year-old lau Lichhead, Mildura, Australia, who enjoyed sleeping on deck. He was thrilled by the transfer in the boats. His clothes mostly went down with the family’s .10 trunks, but lan looks forward to getting a new outfit in San Francisco. “Mother always said it was hard to get me up in the mornings, but I got out of bed that morning so fast that I surprised myself.”