EASILY A RECORD

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20128, 23 December 1939, Page 4

EASILY A RECORD

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING BIG DRAIN ON STOCKS MANY LINES DEPLETED APPREHENSION FELT Anticipations of a record Christmas shopping week have been more than realised in Gisborne, and some of the largest retail establishments report a turnover that was much in excess of that of the last Christmas period. Exceptionally large crowds were in town last night, and money flowed freely, keeping the large augmented staffs busy right up to closing time, when numbers of people were still in the shops making last-minute purchases, Large crowds were again in town Bus morning making their final purchases and making selections from seriously depleted stocks. The trade this year has been so brisk and the stocks in some departments not too great that many shops Were sold out of many lines long before the doors closed for business last night. In many cases shops had been able to keep their stocks up to a reasonable level despite the import restrictions by buying from many parts of the country, but they will be facing the new year with a less varied selection and smaller quantities of most goods. Replacement Impossible In this respect much apprehension is felt by businessmen, who find that unless their stocks are immediately augmented the public will not be able to purchase the type of article which in many cases they have been used to buying. Immediate replacement appears impossible at rjresent, according to one statement made to-dav, for whereas warehouses were drawn on by firms whcuusually make a practice of indenting on their own account, the warehouses are unable to meet the demand now.

"Our import licenses for tiTe first part of the new year have been cut down to 18 per cent of our total requirements,” stated the head of one of the largest firms to-day. “This will have a serious effect on trade, and it is about time the Government eased up the import restrictions. We are out of a number of lines now, and they cannot be replaced.”