Quiet Christmas

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 304, 26 December 1939, Page 8

Quiet Christmas

OVERCAST SKIES IN CITY At least two factors played a major part in making Christmas 1939 a quiet one as far as Palmerston North is concerned. The first was the overhanging shadow of the European conflict and tho second the intervention of the week-end between Christmas Day and the late shopping night on Friday which did substitute for Christmas Kve. There was an exceedingly large crowd in town Friday night, the pedestrians again appreciating the nine feet of roadway adjacent the packed footpaths, which had been specially set aside by the City Council for their use. Motorists had to keep outside that space and as that necessitated parking parallel with the kerb, there was less room available for cars. Many drivers did the wise thing and found parking spots in nearby thoroughfares. Taken as a whole, the large throng of people was less hilarious than on many a similar occasion in years gone by. There were fewer noises but the throwing of confetti seemed to be a popular pastime. For Christmas Day there were overcast skies in tho main. Though the sun broke through shortly before noon, light clouds gathered again and there was a sprinkling of rain. R.S.A. REMEMBERS Following tho custom of previous years, the Palmerston North branch of the R.S.A. remembered the children of soldiers- of the Great War yesterday by distributing toys, sweets, balloons, etc., at early morning calls. The five members of the branch who donned the red Igown and cotton whiskers, catered for 431 boys and girls. CAROLS AT HOSPITAL An abundance of flowers gave an added touch of brightness to the wards

at tho Palmerston North Hospital for Christmas, and on Sunday evening members of the nursing staff entertained the patients with the singing of carols. Yesterday morning the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Mansford) paid an official visit to tho institution to extend greetings to all the patients and in the evening the chairman of the Hospital Board (Mr. J. A. Nash) and Mrs. Nash did likewise.