THE STRANDING OF THE TAUPO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5331, 21 March 1879, Page 3

THE STRANDING OF THE TAUPO.

(By Telegraph.)

(from our own correspondent.) Auckland, March 20th.

Capt. D.H. M'Eenzie, chairman of the Auck-" land Harbour Board, writes as follows to the Pres3on Capt. Oromarty'scase:—"Tbe decision arrived at by the Court of, Inquiry re the stranding of theTaupo while entering Tauranga Harbour is a most extraordinary one. Was the suspending of Captain Cromarty's certificate for three months for carelessness in Ihe navigation of his vessel on that occasion ? The evidence did not show aDy carelessness on the captain's part; on the contrary, tliß mate's evidence showed that the master was carefully attending to the navigation of his vessel. Captain Sellarp, of the Rowena, who is the best authority in the Colony, in his evidence clearly showed that the buoys are out of their proper position. I have it, and on the best authority, that tbe Taupo as she now lies is 102 feet outside of the line of buoy and tbe beacon on Stony Point. Now I ask it of any man who has any knowledge of navigating a ship, what other guide should Capt. Cromarty take but to steer his ship as directed by buoys and beaens ? Heaving the lead in broad daylight with a current running five knots, and the steamer going another five knots, with buoys and beacons to guide the way, is rank bosh. Great stress was laid on this point by the Board of Inquiry. The whole gist of the matter is this. The Government officials are altogether to blame. The pilot at Tauranga placed the buoy in its present position, which is far inside of where it ought to be. Capt. Johnson, of the Marina Department, sitting as judge of the Court of Inquiry, naturally endeavoured to shift the fault of the department of which he is head on to the shoulders of Capt. Cromarty, and succeeded, unfortunately for the ends of justice. However, it is to be hoped that the Government will, as in the case of Capt. Andrew, overrule the decision of the Court of Inquiry at Tauranga, and return to Capt. Cromarty bis certificate. It is clearly shown that the wreck of the Taupo was caused through the neglect and gross incapacity of the New Zealand Marine Department."