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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 155, 2 July 1874, Page 2

Our Australian telegrams have more tban once made mention of a young lady who had mysteriously disappeared from Melbourne. From late files we extract the following particulars :— The young lady's name is Miss Pettitt, she is a near relative of a squatting family, and had been living for some time upon an up-country station. For certain reasons she was sent down to Melbourne, and placed in the seminary presided over by tho Misses: Singleton, of Clarendon-street, East Melbourne. Here she remained some little time, - aud is stated to have been a young lady of quiet and retiring manners, but excessively sensitive. . She is seventeen years of age, of plain, but not unprepossessing appearance. It would seem that on the night she was last seen she was censured by one of the teachers in the establishment for some trivial fault, and this seemed to prey greatly upon her spirits. In the evening she retired to her room, and remained there alone for abont an hour, when she came out and went round to those of her fellow pupils with whom she was on friendly terms, add divided amongst them the various articles of jewellery she was known to have in her possession. The circumstance at the time did not attract any particular attention, but about ten or eleven o'clock the hat which she usually wore was found in the ball, the door of which was stand- | ing partly open. Inquiry was made, and upon her room being searched, it was found that ahe had taken he.

departure, carrying with her ho more clothes than those which she . wora at. •he tim-\ Is has not transpired whether she left any note explanatory of her intentions, though -it is believed that she did so, and that the; fact has been kept a profound secret. No otfi-i however, saw her leavp, nor has anyone so far as has been ascertained, seen her sine?. The supposition at first was tbat it was a case of romantic elopement; but- the abseuce of any .intelligence aa to the young I-idy'S movements after leaving the school .tead_many to think that she has committed suicide by drowning. The detectives have been on the alert, and the moat experience I engaged to trace her. A reward of £50 bas been offered for any information likely to lead lo her discovery, and the. services , of Mr Ofct.o Berliner obtained. IJp. Jd the present^ however, neither toils nor tidings have been gleaned as to her fate. The- Yarra has been dragged, but without any further light being thrown upon the mystery.

The following curious occurrence, says a Paris correspondent, took place recently at the Salomonski Circus, of Berlin. During a pause in the performance, a fashionably-dressed man-desc-ended into the arena and made sig*ns to the actors, the musicians. , and the public. ; Some important communication was expected ; the performance ceased, an-J profound silence ensued. The new-comer then called out in a loud voice. "la the midwife Hermann here ?" The question produced a shout of laughter ; but as soon aa tbe merriment had subsided, another, voice from the second tier replied in the affirmative.. The querist, perfectly und sturbed, then sai.', Hasten to the Cerlstrasse No.— , where you are expected with impatience " He then; retired majestically, without caring about tha sensition caused by this unexpected dialogue. The incident was the great success of tbe evening. A Victorian country journal has the following as to the escape of O'Ferrall from a Melbourne detective lately despatched to Noumea to arrest him : — "Wo learn upon good authority that when Detective Mackay reached _tew Caledonia, armed, as was thonght, with the necessary legal warrant foe ehe capture of his man, he found that personally he had no status, and that it was necessary to delegate bis mission to a French official. It was well known on the island that O'Ferrall was residing with his uncle, a gentleman of some influence, but on the- officers of justice making their appearance the bird had flown, Just in time to escape them. Assisted by the people amongst whom it was circulated tbat O'Ferrall'a offence was a . political one, _ the culprit seemed secure, and left no clue 'to his whereabouts. It was thus thought better that the Victorian detective should return, leaving his case in the bands of the local authorities, who have promised to use what measures are in their power to vindicate the ends of justice.*' 7, :"'":7"

About 260 tons of pearl shells were obtained by the b Western : Australian fishers during the past season; The value of these on the ; spot, calculated at; £170 per tooj • was about £44,000. About . <BGO divers were employed.