WELLINGTON.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3097, 21 January 1879, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

This day. Mr D. M. Luckie, the newly appointed Commissioner of Annuities, entered upon his new duties yesterday. The last of the quarantined immigrants at Soame's Islands are to be released to-day. The Hon. J. Martin is cutting up th. estate lately sold by the Hon. Mr Waterhouse, and will offer about forty thousand acres in small sections by July next. The estate is very much overrun with rabbits. The land will be sold on deferred payments. Mr Ernest Wagner, a local architect, has been committed for trial on a charge of obtaining money under false pretences. There were two charges against him. Superintendent James, who takes the place of Superintendent Atcheson, arrived here to-day. The latter officer will not leave for Nelson till the end of the month.

The New Zealand Rifle Association's first annual meeting is to open at Nelson on the 3rd March. Arrangements are completed for the supply of targets etc.

Detective Farrell is to be removed to Auckland.

No charitable aid from Government sources has been distributed in Wellington since the Ist inst. This arises from the Benevolent Society refusing to take over the distribution out of the hands of the police, and the latter having been instructed by the Government to discontinue. Much distress is said to exist in consequence. The young lad Bacon, who stole a bundle of notes amounting to £265 from the Anchor Line Office, was brought up before the Resident Magistrate this morning and fully committed for trial at the next criminal sessions. Bail was allowed, the boy's father in £200 and two sureties in £100 each.

Monday. In two cases for the recovery of damages against, the Tramway Company for injuries to vehicles, in which judgment was reserved, the magistrate this afternoon gave a verdict for £10 and costs against the company in each case. Edgar Bastings, for alleged forgery, was brought up and remanded to Christchurch.

The Agent-General advises the sailing of the ship Hudson from Plymouth on the 21st of November with 207 immigrants for Wellington and 39 for Hawke's Bay. Of thesei 73 are English, 41 Scotch, 73 Irish, and the remainder from the Channel Islands and other places. Also the Warwick.from Plymouth on the 30th November with over 200 immigrants, the greater number of whom are thought to be nominated, owing to their being destined to so many parts of the colony—viz., 77 for Wellington, 53 Canterbury, 23 Auckland, 16 Westland, 12 Marlborough, 9 Nelson, 8 Taranaki, 2 Napier, 1 Dunedin. The City Council are about considering a newly proposed drainage out-fall, said to be much superior to anything of the kind yet proposed. The sewage will fall into six fathoms of water, and be hurried off by a swift tide, which scours the part. The Royal Commission on Education bad a meeting to-day, and received several reports fromthe University Committee and Technological Committee. The reports were adopted, and the Commission decided to request the Chancellor and Secretary of the New Zealand University to give evidence before the Commission on the 14th February. The Jackson's Bay Commission will proceed to the West Coast by the s.s. Stella on the'l4th February. At the Titanic Steel Company's meeting to-night, the chairman said the Government declined to give them the land in Taranaki, the company never having raised more than £19,400 out of the £30,000* required by the Act. The directors proposed, therefore, to issue special shares for £11,000, so as -to comply with the Act, and to obtain the land, when they could refund the amount raised by special shares. At this stage the reporters were excluded, they declining to give any pledge as to what portion of their notes they would publish.

The Underwriters Association report under date London, Jan. 17th, the arrival of the barque Chasca, from Wellington 5 the Waimate, ship, from Lyttelton; and the Arkshaw, barque, from Oamaru. The Postal Department have just corn-

pleted arrangements with the Union Steam Shipping Company for testing a proposed new scheme in connection with the English mail (San Francisco) coastal time-table, by which the Invercargill, Dunediu, Christchurch, Wellington, Nelson, Taranaki, and the up-country districts in connection with these places will gain at least a day more for their mail correspondence. Napier alone will be the loser of a day. The scheme will be tested the next outward mail; more than one coastal steamer is to be employed.