The Dnien Steamship Company's s.s. Taupo 3 Capt. A. W. Cameron, from Fiji, arrived here at 9.30 a.m. to-day, bringing a more than usually large cargo of Island products, bananas, sugar, etc. Of her trip Mr Armstrong, purser, writes :—" We left Auckland at 5 p.m on the Ist, and reached Suva at 3.30 p.m. oa tbe 7th. We discharged cargo and left at 3 p.m. on the 9th, called at Laucala Bay and loaded a quantity of sugar and molasses and arrived at Levuka at- 1 p.m. on the 10th. We moved on ab 5,30 a.m. next day and proceeded to Navua, where more sugar was taken aboard, and arrived back ab Suva at 4 p.m. on the 11th. On.the 12bh we completed our loading with bananas, pines, etc., and took our depar ture at 8.50 p.m. We passed the Poor Knights at. 11/20 p.m. on the 17th, and TTiri at 7 a.m. on the 18bh. Froilb Auckland to Fiji we' had variable winds, with fine clear weather, and on the return passage we had strong S.E. winds with heavy sea." ,'"

STORMY WEATHER. The well-known barque Natal Queen, Capt. H. Brown, which arrived at Port Chalmers lasb week bimber - laden from Hobart, had a very sbormy experience to the South of the colony lately. On March 4th a heavy W.S.W. gale sprang up, at tended by a terrific sea. Oil bags were thrown over her stern, and she passed bhe Solanders at 2 p. m. - on -that day, when the »9as (bo use Captain Brown's own words)

"were tumbling abroad in all directions," sweeping the decks of all movable articles, the vessel running at the rate of nine knots and a-half, without doing any damage, with the exception of carrying away a portion of her' bulwarks. On breasting Centra Island the oil in the bags became exhausted, and a heavy sea broke over her stern, smashing t,he wheel into several pieces and washing the man along the main deck, along with the rest ot the crew who were oa watch. Before the crew could get tackle on to the rudder the vessel broached to and smothered herself, filling the cabin forecastle and deckhouse. As soon as possible a jury whoel was rigged and the vessel once more put on her course. 