AUSTRALIAN CABLES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10956, 22 December 1911, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN CABLES.

£Br Electric TzLECiurn —Copyright.] (Per Press Association.) CHRISTMAS BUSINESS. Received December 22, at 9.10 a.m. Sydney, December 22. Christinas trade and traffic is a record. The tramway receipts are over 20 per cent, above the corresponding period for last year. The postal business is almost too big to control. About 2,500,000 letters have been despatched since Monday.

A WRECKED SCHOONER'S CREW Received December 22, at 9.15 a.m. Melbourne, December 22.

The steamer' Toroa, which' accompanied DrMawson to Macquarrie Island, has returned. She brought the crew of the schooner Clyde, recently wrecked on the island, and owned by Mr Hatch, of InvercargiU, the lessee of Macquarrie Island.

CUSTOMS DUTIES CASE. Sydney, December 21. In the High Court case the Minister of Customs against Isaac Phizackerly, motor-car inspector, for alleged short payment of Customs duties on three shipments of cars, defendant was ordered to pay £2BOO as penalties and costs.

THE POWERFUL. Sydney, December 22. During the last commission of the Powerful at Sydney 150 men deserted. MONSTER SEA SERPENT. Sydney, December 22. The officers of the Strathardle report passing a sea serpent on Sunday in the Tasmaii Sea. The monster was 200 foot in length, and had a head like a crocodile. A large fin showed out of the water. The body was of bright colors, tapering considerably at the tail. It was travelling slowly when sighted about 200 miles from the New Zealand coast,