WELLINGTON. January 18.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2095, 20 January 1879, Page 2

WELLINGTON. January 18.

A woman named Hickey has been arrested for abducting two girls (sisters) under 13 years of age, for the purposes of prostitution. i The Education Commissioner has Appointed the following committees : — A University committee on secondary schools, a committee on professional and technical schools, and an endowment and financial committee. . The Hinemoa, after leaving Ministers in Dunedin, goes to' Puytegur Point, to test the new lighthouse. Simpson and Co.'s shorthorns have Been landed in excellent condition. ■ 11. M.5. Nymphe and the ships Wairoa and St. Leonards sailed for London today. The Wairoa took a cargo valued] at L 76,495, and the St. Leonards a cargo valued at L 91,755.

The laud sales fur the last month in the Wellington land district reached only 90 awes, the amount recoivod being Lilt). The residents in Newtowu have subscribed for 280 shares out of the 300 the Tramway Company required taken up as condition of extending tho rail* there. Later. Just as H.M.S. Nymphe was about to sail this afternoon a telegraph messenger runhed out of the office and on to tho breastwork, holding up a telegram, and making frantio signals for the ship to stop. Ho was unseen, however, aud the ship continued on her course. A bystander suggested to the tnessonger to run to Qovernment House and have the sign vl made for her to stop. He at onco itarti 1 off, and in a few minutes later the sign.il of recall was run up on the Government flagstaff just as the ship was about to round the point. Fortunately it was seen, and the Nymphe returned, sent a boat ashore, obtained the telegram, and started again at 3 p.m., after about an hour's delay. The charge of abduction of two girls against Lucy Hiokey, herself a girl of 18, was dismissed to-day, the magistrate, however, giving all parties some good advice. This morning the constable! stationed in the Wellington district not on duty met at the house of Superintendent Atoheson to make a presentation to Mrs Atcheson, on her leaving with her husband for Nelson. Constable Lyster, of the Hutt, as the oldest constable, not only in Wellington but in New Zealand, handed the gift, which consisted of a ladies' reticule, containing gold, to Mrs 'Atcheson, and in so doing snid the amount was subscribed by the police force as a slight token of their esteem, and they would ask her to purchase with it some memento by which she and her family would remember those who had been officially associated with Superintendent Atoheson for many years They experienced deep regret at the severance of the connection, and desired to express their warm wishes for their future happiness and prosperity of Superintendent Atcheson and family. After a few remarks by the present and lato members of the force, Mrs Atchescn, in suitable terms, acknowledged of the gift, and expressed the regret of the family at leaving Wellington. The Public Works Department is now obliged to face the sleeper difficulty. Large quantities are required, and advertising for tenders is almost useless, none being received in reply. The practice of obtaining hardwood sleepers from Tasmania was some time since discontinued, but owing to the impossibility of getting any in New Zealand, and as the only means of preventing delay in works now in progress, it is feared the Government will be obliged to send large orders out of the Colony. Offers for supplying; a million sleepers from Tasmania have been received, as a temporary measiTro to prevent absolute stoppage of one or two works approaching completion, and fifty thousand Itave been ordered from thence.