AUSTRALIAN CABLES.

Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 2, 3 January 1924, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN CABLES.

(Received 10 a.m.) COMMONWEALTH REVENUE. MELBOURNE, thU-day. The Commonwealth Customs revenue for the six months ended December 31 was a record—a total of £17,760,000, which is £1,311,000 above the previous corresponding half year, and nearly I f3,000,000 above the estimate. The postal (revenue was £4,!U1,OOO, an increase of £85,000. — (A. and N.Z. Cable.) CONGESTED TRAFFIC. SYDNEY, this day. Owing to I he inability of the tramway authorities to .cope with congested traffic, motor buses continue to multiply in the city and suburbs. Some 370 buses are operating, and carrying an average of 2.000,000 passcgers monthly.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.) M.M.A.S. AUSTRALIA. SYDXEY, this day. Messrs. Wright and Hughes, representing a Melbourne syndicate, have signed a contract for £3,000 with the Commonwealth Government for dismantling the fittings of the battleship Australia, which will be sunk on April 23 outside the Heads—(A. and N.Z. Cable.) PLAYING FIELDS. SYDNEY, this day. Rival football codes secured the leise of the Agricultural Ground on satisfactory terms. Each of the four bodies have come to a mutual arrangement on dates: for allotment. It is believed much saving will he effected by securing the grounds jointly in future, as hitherto the grounds took advantage of the hostility, especially between the League and the Union, to exact considerably higher terms. — (A. and N.Z. Cable.) COKEWORKEBS' STRIKE. « SYDNEY, this day. In accordance with the terms of the fortnight's notice, the cokeworkers on the youth coast ceased work. The owners fear the coal miners may be affected in sympathy.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.) OBITUARY. SYDNEY, this day. Mr. J. A. Mayo, a turf identity, and owner of Lord Cardigan and Lord Nolan, winners of the Melbourne Cup, is dead J (A. and N.Z. Cable.) NEW SOUTH WALES PITS IDLE. SYDNEY, January 2. Ten pits are idle in the northern coalfield, in most cases through the miners deciding to extend their Christmas holiday— (A, and N.Z. Cable.) LABOUR PURCHASES PAPER. SYDNEY, January 2. The Australian Labour party has purchased the "Daily Mail" newspaper, which it will publish as a Labour daily.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.) MOTOR-CYCLING CONTEST. MELBOURNE, January 2. In the Australian championships promoted by, the Victorian Motor-cycling CJub K*w Zealand contestants failed to any ffrsts. but Stratton was second in two events.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.),