Christmas Shopping Satisfactory

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 306, 28 December 1939, Page 6

Christmas Shopping Satisfactory

Desire to Retain Staffs During the New Year REPLACEMENTS OF STOCKS WILL BE MORE COSTLY The commercial community of Immersion North is quite satisfied with the first wartime Christmas period, which was also incidentally the first to be observed during the currency of the import restrictions, for although these are now a year old the effect has been delayed to a certain extent as far as gift shopping is concerned owing to the fact tliat indenting is done well ahead of requirements. While it is difficult to assess the proportion of buying in the various price ranges as compared with other similar periods, what higher priced articles were available were quitted freely, despite the fact that there was not so much evidence of the carefree spirit associated with tho festive season.

One aspect that is causing the larger houses some misgiving is that, owing to the lateness in securing tho .necessary import licenses, buying for the replacements of stocks soJd during tho closing period of the year will all have to bear the increased charges imposed as the result of the second world war. Increases in insurance rates, shortago of goods required for military requirements and various other reasons will produce a general rise in price levels which cannot be offset by internal regulation.

The employment situation, which received a considerable amount of attention prior to the holiday*, was commented on by an executive of a big city store. Rumours, he said, had gained currency that staffs had been given notice and been re engaged as casual hands. That was definitely not the ca3e as far as bis organisation was concerned. Rather was there a desire to retain as far as possible the present employees. One effect, however, would be on the absorption of juniors who would be leaving school. Normally many of these were employed this year as temporary assistants during the Christmas rush and those who showed promise were noted for openings that wouJd occur during the following year. With the employers making an endeavour to retain their present staffs it did not appear as if there would be so many of these boys and girls entering business as had been the case in previous years.