NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1580, 25 October 1912, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

!3t TelcerttDh.—Press AeeoctaUon.l « ASSESSMENT COURT. . COAL COMPANY'S VALUATION RAISED. Greymouth, October 23, At tlio Grey Assessment Court yosteiw day afternoon, a enso of interest to lociiL bodies was heard. Objection was taken to. the valuation of the Blackball Coal Co.'a property, the County Council objecting on tlio {.'founds that tho valuation was too, low. Tho present valuation is .£35,000, ami the local bodies' system, estimating, the capital value, placed tho figures at .£IOO,OOO. Counsel contended that all the gross profits, such, as owners' profits (royalties), and the company's (lessees') profits should bo taken into consideration, besides tho net profits, for tho purposes of the valuation of county rates on the capital value. After a lengthy hearing tho Court raised the valuation to .£51,115. HAWKE'S BAY RIVERS FLOODED. Napier, October 24. Very heavy rain has been experienced durmg tho past two days, more particularly in the country, and tho rivers aro flooded. Owing to tho mouth of the Esk blocking, tho adjacent flats were submergedto a depth of aft. The , mouth lias now been reopened, and the flood water is getting; away rapidly. Over 2in. of rain fell in the town in the last twenty-four hours. ■ Shearing operations have been greatly delayed, and the prospects for tho first sale of the season next month aro anything but promising. BOLT FROM THE CELLS. Whangarei, October 24. A man named K. Huston, under arrest. on a cbargo of burglary, who was to appear at tho Police Court to-day, broke from custody while a constable «ns getting the prisoner breakfast. AFTER HARD DRINKING. Napier, October 24. Evidence at the inquest on James Go\ don, who was found dead on 'ho road near Wnikare, showed tbnt deceased and a mate drank a bottle and a half of- 1 whisky neat in two hours. A verdict was returned of death from suffocation through falling faco downwards in the mud whilst in a state of helpless intosicnV tion. GISBORNE'S OPERA HOUSE. Gisborne, Oclober 24. The Gisborne Opera Company's new Opera House, to cost about .£15,000, was opened by the Mayor last night. There was a great crush, hundreds being turned away. povertTTay show. Gisborno, October 21. The Agricultural and Pastoral Show was brought to a close in fiue weather vesterday. The winners at tho show were local" exhibits. Tho judge described it is one of the best horse shows in Australasia. There were fifty competitors in one jmnp-' ing event, and three horses tied for first' place. ■ ONE AVENUE FOR NURSES. Auckland, October 23. Among the passengers' by tho Zeabindin from Vancouver aro two English nurses engaged by tho 'Victorian Bush Nurses' Association for work in the backblocks of that State. They state there aro many nurses in England who would like, to come to the colonies. TONGA'S STAPLE REDUCED. Auckland, October 23. A Suva resident, who was a passeugof by the Zenlandia, states that the. hurricane in the Friendly Islands early this year has had the effect of reducing the quantity of copra, for export. It is estimated that the shipments this year will bo fifty per cent, less than in 1911, and that it will be two years before tho output is again normal. _ SERIOUS CHARGE, ' : ■y ,r 'i"""G'orc, October 23. Robert G. Car&cll w.-is arrested, lasj night on a charge of having committed nn offenco on a married woman the- previous night. He was brought before the Court to-day and remanded to appear on October 31. Bail was allowed, self in ~£lOO and two sureties of XSO each. WIRELESS. Auckland, October 24. Auckland's now .wireless station walopened for business to-day. . >