D.—No. 4

hard knocks on the head with timber as the waves came rolling over. I saw two people in the water near me, but could not recognise them. One was on the top of a chest of drawers, an far as I can make out. I then heard them singing out to the boat to save them. I looked in the direction they were going, and I saw the first cutter taking in one of those men. I immediately hailed her, was answered, and picked up. The two that were picked up were Mr. Barkly and a man named Hall. Seeing no one else in the water, and hearing no cries, we pulled for the shore. All this while two of the Maori pilots were in the boat, encouraging our men to pull, and steering. They took us to their landing-place. We assisted the boat up, went to their house, where we were accommodated with food and bedding. During the middle watch some of the men went down to the beach to see if any bodies had come ashore, but only found a chest of tea, a cask of peas, a case of candles, and the Commodore's cot, with all the bedding on it. They went again about six o'clock in the morning. I, being very much bruised, and my foot being very painful, was unable to go in the morning till about an hour afterwards. I met one of the Maori pilots near the boat-shed, and asked him if he had seen the steamer. He showed me one just come up with the pinnace in tow, and the " Avon " just heaving in sight coming down the harbour. By Mr. Bell.] The guns began to break loose and the decks to start about half an hour before the masts went. The masts did not go until about 8.30. Commander Burton was seen with his head between the shrouds, which jammed his head aud throat between them, killing him instantly. Commodore Burnett, about six o'clock, hailed the men, asked them to pray to God, and said that he would be the last to leave the ship. When the mizzenmast went he was between the top and the futtock rigging, the former of which fell on his head, partly stunning him. He rose up at once, and seemed to make no effort to save himself, and was lost. He fell with the mizenmast, and the mizentop falling upon his head he was drowned. The mainmast went first, then the foremast, and then the mizenmast. There were 8 officers and 61 men saved from the wreck. By Mr. Bussell.] The weather was fine when we were approaching the bar, with a fine leading wind. By Mr. Bell.] When the mainmast went, the men on it gave three heart-rending farewell cheers, which were answered by the men on the other masts, and all was then over. Mr. Hunt then stated that the treatment they had received from Mr. Wing and his family was most kind, and he wished this to be mentioned. By Mr. Bussell.] I do not attach any blame to the pilot, for Mr. Wing told me yesterday morning the signals he had made, and they corresponded exactly with the evidence of the signal-man which has just been taken down. I was told this by the son of the jiilot, whose duty it was not to leave the signal-staff. Memo. —[This closed the evidence taken in the gun-room, and the aforementioned gentlemen proceeded to the Captain's cabin to get the statements of Lieutenants Hill and Gouge, and Paymaster Amphlett, surviving officers of the late ship " Orpheus." An objection was taken by Lieutenant Hill to the statement made by Mr. Hunt and the other witness in the gun-room being received as evidence, which objection was further supported by Mr. Amphlett. Ultimately it was consented to by these gentlemen that the statement of Mr. Hunt be read over to them from the shorthand writer's notes, which was in part done. Lieutenant Hill stated that the evidence by Mr. Hunt in so far as regarded the course the "Orpheus" was steering, was incorrect: that there were many inaccuracies in it besides, that, as for instance regarding the signals and the distance at which the "Wonga Wonga "is said to have anchored off the "Orpheus." Mr. Amphlett likewise objected to the evidence of Mr. Hunt and the two men being received, as it had been taken in the absence of the senior officer, and contained erroneous statements. See Memo, ante folio. It was ultimately arranged that Lieutenant Hill should make any statement he chose bearing on the point on which the Colonial Government wished to obtain information, and which were explained to him by the Hon. the Native Minister and the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. LIEUTENANT HILL (late of the " Orpheus ") made the following statement:—l went on deck at 8 a.m. on Saturday, the 7th February. We steered East half South till 12 o'clock, when we went East. We were under sail up to that time. At 8 o'clock, reckoning by the master's reckoning, we were 38 to 40 miles off. After 12 o'clock we steered on that East course till we got the bearing on, and then steered Northeasterly-east, and that was the course we were steering when she struck. Wo were keeping the Nine Pin Rock on with Paratutai. We were then under steam, at 1230, and sail. The signal " take the bar " was sighted at 11-30 a.m. At 1230 turned hands up to shorten sail, the men having gone to dinner half an hour before the usual time, so as to get dinner over for that duty— that is at half-past 11. We had all the ropes manned for shortening sail. The steam had been up for distilling, and had only been used as an auxiliary, as there was wind enough to take her in without steam. I was standing oti the bridge and heard the engineer report there was lOlbs. pressure. We were going quietly on until 120, when she first touched astern. I had only observed the signal " take the bar " up to this time ; that was a very slight touch. After she touched at that time the leadsman on the starboard chains called 5 J fathoms ; that was the last call of the lead I heard. Then we went on at the rate of 7to 8 knots for 10 minutes good, and she struck then with her bow—not heavily, but softly, as if sliding on, with her bow. We were then running right before the breakers ; she went gradually into it, and stopped finally, the rollers following on ; nothing was displaced by it. By Mr. Bussell.] There were no breakers when we first struck. There may have been breakers ahead. By Mr. Bell.] Between the time she first struck and the second time I did not observe tho danger signal out. I had my glass to my eye and I did not observe it. After that the Commodore ordered "full speed astern," that was after she struck the second time. The engines never moved. The Commodore told me to watch the screw to see if it moved, and it never did. By Mr. Domett.] The signal, " Take the bar," was still flying. I saw no other. [Memo. —It was then suggested that the evidence of the signalman be read to Lieutenant Hill, which was done from the shorthand notes, and he remarked that he saw no other signal, but it may have been as the signalman stated.

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FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE LOSS