FIRST WAR XMAS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20115, 8 December 1939, Page 2

FIRST WAR XMAS

SHOPPING ACTIVITY WELL UP TO LAST YEAR SHORTAGE OF TOYS SUBSTITUTES IN WOOD Gisborne’s first war-time Christmas for more than 20 years is expected to be quite a good one. and, judging by the present activity, it should be well up to that of last year from the business aspect. In some classes of business, a slight slump occurred immediately following the outbreak of war, the petrol restrictions having a bearing on the shopping conditions, but since the absolute ban on the purchase of petrol by private people was lifted business gradually improved, and most shopkeepers report that it is now back to normal. Because of this the usual preparations have been made for dealing with the Christmas rush, and no decrease on last year’s record is expected. Extra staffs are being engaged to cope with the rush during the last week or 10 days, and, despite the import restrictions and the difficulty in securing some types of goods because of war preparations, stocks should be adequate, except in certain lines. Imported Toys A distinct shortage of a few of the Christmas lines is reported, mainly in the matter of imported toys. Dolls, garticularly, are in very short supply, and many of the mechanical toys wn be absent, although some additional supplies are expected within a few days. Dealers in these commodities report that the greater portions ol their stocks are what have been lef. over *from last Christmas and tht remains of the buying for ordinary mid-year requirements. Wooden toys made in New Zealand are likely to be rpore in demand as a result. In other types of business the public should be able to make nearly as wide a selection as usual. A few of the usual lines have been affected, but there should be no reduction in the quantity of goods available. A liner, which was reported recently to have evaded a U-boat, is believed to have had some Christmas supplies on board, and these are expected to be available for the most important part of the Christmas trade.

Discriminating Public

In the shopping which has taken place to date, the public appears to have been even more discriminating than usual, and whereas in a war-time Christmas the public would be excused in seeking cheaper substitutes to their usual requirements, the position at present appears to be the opposite, according to the manager of one of the leading businesses of the town, who stated that the better quality and dearer lines had been selling more rapidly in certain instances than the others.

Because of the difficulty in securing toys, it is expected that Father Christmas may turn more attention to the purchase of children’s hooks, of which there are adequate supplies. No cum culty has been experienced so far in securing sufficient books to meet the demand. Stationers, however, report that Christmas cards have not been in such great demand this year. The business done for the overseas postings was only a fraction of that of iast year, but the demand for dispatch to friends within the Dominion is expected to show little decrease. Camping Popular Indications are that camping will be as popular as ever this summer, and those who deal in camping requisites report that their business has been much better than they expected and that they have done as well as last year. All types of camping gear have been in demand, and even if the distances travelled by motorists during the coming holidays are not at great ns in the past it seems that they intend to spend just as much of their time out of doors as in normal times.

A feature is being made of the Christmas displays at present, and most of the shop windows in the town are set out already in appropriate and very attractive style, serving to remind shoppers that Christmas is little more than a fortnight off. Usually (lie proximity of Christmas is not fully realised until about a week before, and by this time next week the real Christmas rush is expected to start.