The steamer Wanganui, from Lyttelton to Wellington, experienced a terrific gale, which carried away her fore-yard and blew the fore sail to libboLS. Pilot Holmes states that the sea at the Heads was the heaviest experienced for 12 mouths. A steamer is ashore on the North Spit At Wanganui, several square yards of the sea-wall of the Wellington Mutt railway were washed away. No damage was done on shore. The report of the Royal Commission regard ing the loss of the Taupo censure* the Harbour master at Tauraoga tor allowing the buoy to remain in the piace whither it had been wathed by the sea, a considerable distance from the spot which, according to the Admi ralty chart, it ought to h*ve occupied, instead of either replacing it or reporting to the Marine Department its changed position. On the other hand the Commianioners con aider Captain Cromarty properly condemned, because when his own evidence clearly showed that the wreck was not caused by the removal of the buoy, that he was not misled by it, but knew that the buoy had been moved, and indeed had never seen it anywhere else while he had made several visits to the harbour— at the same time the Commissioners point out that had the buoy been in its proper place it cou'd not have failed to attract tbe attention of the captain to the danger which he was running, inasmuch as he could not have reached the place where the Taupo struck without actually passing inside the buoy. Still, witu a power ful steamer, in good order, strongly manned, in fine weather, and entering a port well known to the master, there is no valid excuse for the disaster, which the Commis -loners, as did the Court of Inquiry, attribute to the negligent navigation of the vessel. The Marine Depart ment is entirely acquitted of blame in the ■latter, it being shown that no report wan made as to the buoy having been shifted. Oune 23rd.
