RECORD CHRISTMAS EVE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1943, 29 December 1913, Page 4

RECORD CHRISTMAS EVE.

—, FOR WELLINGTON SHOPKEEPERS. As tho mid-city streets appeared Kr he unusually crowded and tho shops unusually busjr even for a Christmas Eve, somo inquiries were- made on Saturday by a- Dominion reporter to ascertain how trade in ordinary had fared. All those consulted gave the f.a.mo answer —it had been a record Christmas Eve. As the City had only just finished with a two-months' strike ot watersiders, eoanioii, drivers, .and miners, this result ■seemed to ho almost incredible, but subsequent inquiries absolutely endorsed tho result of those already >iiad<3 that ft new record li.ad been created.

The fancy goods and toy people had! a, very strenuous time. '"Nearly tho wliolo day aiul right up till 10 o'clock Wo wore all kept going as hard as wo could taking money. I have 'never experienced anything like it," confessed one joyous shopkeeper. "Record j" said he, "I should think it was l —record for mo, anyway 1" ''Had a good Christmas?" was asked of a Willis Street, mercer, "Good —a great Christinas! Never seen anything approaching it," was the reply. "Strike had no effect?" "Wei!, the only things I have to go 011 are iny figures, and I* have never got within coo-ee o? t!us year's sales on Christmas Evoj avid Tuesday ■s-as almost as good. It has been a wonderful Christ-inns. Everybody appears to bo prepared buy tho best., a-iid to pay -spot cash for it!" Tho manager of a huge universal emporium' on I.ambtmi Quay stated (ill 'being asked that his receipts for Christmas Eve wore/easily a record for tho yjtahlishntent, and that, he understood, had been the common experienco in tlie locality. He also volunteered 't-lio information that right through tlw strike there had been no diminution in tho returns. Tho only loss, possibly, would be in having goods stuck up that might liftVo icon opened up awl sold weeks agfl. Ti'ado was very active in Cuba Street oh Christmas Eve,. In that thoroughfaro tlie strike had been felt during the last- -six weeks; hut, inquiry showed, tho maimer fa which trade had revived during tho last fortnight was- really surprising, and tho Christ-nms trade had been ahead of all reasonable expectations.