The steamer Taupo, which arrived from

the South this morning, and ;\vhich was in, the recent heavy storm in Cook Straits, ,: has been considerably, damaged.. An im- ;

mense sea swept on board on Sunday^,; morning at ,11 o'clock, smashing up the j doors and skylights of the saloon,and,com- '■ pietely wrecking the interior. -Two boats on the upper deck were caught by seas and , / severely damaged—one totally . wrecked..; [*, The vessel was ' then fiove to until \ 7 o'clock on Monday s morning, when' it was swept "\ fore and aft by aeaa, r,. the force of which is evidenced, by ". the. -V damage about the deck, the bulwarks hay-- '~ ing been twisted, and \vq,& stanchions and -r plates knocked about. The water. got below to the compartment aft" used for ■■$•. stores, but so far as can be seen the cargo v was not.damaged. . / . ..; ~(

RAILWAY MATTERS.
