Through The Economic.

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 256, 27 May 1905, Page 16

Through The Economic.

(By CHiu&Tuifcb)

My visit to Messrs. George and Kexsley's new establishment wd> most interesting, for at every turn theie \va* something to admire. The ne-n building, although built in so tJiort a time as to establish a record an contract work, is now one of the most complete, spacious, and up-to-date business houses in New Zealand. We all know that the large American stores and the methods therein are second to none m the world. Well, the Economic has been a Ameiicianis>ed," and, from the top to the bottom story, business will go like clockwork. From the handsome main entrance in Bi andon-street one admires the spletnd'd show windows, now filled with all the lovely winter goods. Then, pass on to one- of the most complete of all departments, the Manchester, the importance of which is seen by the laige space occupied. So excellently methodical is the arrangement of the *tock in senarate compartments that one can see at a fWanoe where everything is kept and the lows of linen, etc., make a delightful show. • * • Conveniently near is the curtain and muslin department Here one cannot fail to notice the distinctly Ame>ican idea of showing the goods. A large but low, wooden stand is davided into sections, and' the four sides, filled with dsiiintv goods, are open to view. On ton the flannels (which occupy the next spaoel are very effectively placed The pretty blouse flannels on one side are a pood contrast to the dress eroods which are arranged exactly OBposate Here, as. in. all departments, the same neat and excellent method of arranging is ndonted One could 1 almost choose ane'« dress whilst it is still it its place on the wall. * * * At one end of the spacaous floor is* the silk counter, where the daintiest goods are shown to the best advantage. To the right you step into the blanket room, where bins of woolley blankets tempt one to buy. Beyond is tilie men's department, which, perhaps of al' others, is improved the most, and a special counter is devoted to the wants of iuvemlas. I noticed also a good display of hats — which I fancy is a new departure. ♦ * * Then, to the lift— first floor. "One thousand l " murmured the lift man. "Surely not one thousand passengers today?" inquired my guide. "Yes, and the 800 th trin<" was the answer from whicib one gathers that business is decidedly brisk. * ♦ * On the first float one's, eye is first da-awn to the millinery depaitmeait. Here there is a magnificent ?la^ showcase, also an American idea which enables models to be on view at all times. The department itself !•> most conveniently arranged with mirrors, soft velvet carpets, and a portion of the room is screened off to form a little private apartment, where' one may sit at ease and try the hats on© fanoi-os. * * * There in the same completeness with legard to the mantle department, and m an ante-room one may go and dimect any alteration necessary, two capable machinists being always in attendance. Here, too, are the same large showcases of glass, which enable one to see and admire much stock which would otherwise be packed away. • • ♦ On this floor are the undeiclotUnng and corset departments, the latter with a special fittingr-room adjacent, and beyond you find the carpet ware-house and linoleum room. Then, up the lift to tihe next floor, where, amongst many other attractions, there js to be a continuail "bargain bazaar." Now, this is a decided novelty. Anything which cannot quite find its place bellow — remnants, short dress lengths, etc. — will be sent to the If bargain bazaar" above, and there sold at bargain prices. ♦ * * Here, too, is the note-paper — boxes and boxes — and later th« ciuxia department will occupy a portion of the space. Near-by will be the bedstead and bedding department, aaidl mattrass and pillow making rooms. Adjacent aie the millinery work-rooms, replete with every comfort, and heated with gas, and the large and airy dressmaking rooms. , * * The waiting-rooms are especially comfortable and oosy. The employees' lun-cheon-room is also on this flat, and it :s proposed likewise to prepare a portion of the balcony for their benefit a good idea indeed, as it will enable them to have a breath of fresh- air without leaving the building. • ♦ ♦ To return to the ground-floor, I was struck bv the wide and handsome staircase, where mdrrors are arranged with

excellent effect, reflecting the quaint aaid pretty aiches which aie built eveiywlieie These aichc*— or, rather, arcbdiV v — paaiiitecl in white, and enhanced with a *ettmg of bright ieid, a.tc a feature on evei v floor, and greatly improve both the appeal a nee of the interior and the light * * • I next visited the department for evening goodfo of every description, and was pleased to find near by & "dark room," lighted with eleotracaty, wherein one may judge the night colour of any material. There need be no mare disappointments such as buying a sweet shade of blue, and finding that, at night it is an unbecoming green' All through this department, also the veiling and haberdlasiherv, are splendid) glass ■^how-cases. Some, forming counters, aie glass to the around, arid in these is an attractive display of goodis, the. veils being espeoiallv effective. * * * Here, too, are boxes and' boxes lining the wall, each distinctly labelled and handled with brass, all m the utmost good order. Next to the veils comes the lace counter, where the same convenient arrangement is followed. The hosiery, gloves, and haberdashery are found m the department opposite), and, as everywhere, the goods are displayed with great taste. * # * The furs have special glacis case*, w Inch proteiot and enable them to be seen to the best advantage, and the glows umbzella case, another novelty, which allows some hundreds of handle^ to be seen at the same time. The perfumery is stationed just at one side of the entrance and) fancy soapis, etc., are shown in a veiy handsome case. Lack of space will not allow justice to be done, but everywhere one is struck with the completeness and excellence of all the arrangements, and the up-to-diate appliances. * * — The cash railway — -worked bv electric motoi — is an excellent and quack method, and Mes«rs. George and Kersley have beeni most generous m returning, with their compliments, the full amount paid by every twentieth purchaser. One lucky man received 32s 6d back, and, returning later, spent 19s, and again had 1 it returned with compliments'! This change system is very interesting to watch, and cuistomers are invited to do so. The ejleot'' i 'c lisht fittings throuehout are most artistic, as indeed is everythiing connected with the fine premises, which are a credit both to Messrs. George and Ker«ley and to our oitv

The Children's. Hos.patal at Bermondsey, London, hat. a, Dan Leno" cot to perpetuate the memoiy ol the 'Kings jebtei." * * * The New Zealand tour ot Mr. Andiew Mack, the Irish comedian, is to be limited to Wellington and Auckland, at the end of September. ♦ • • To out-Yank the Yankee, a British giamophone builder ha*, pioduced a talking-machine to be heard at a threemile range. He will be called a genius — 01 a public nuisance. * * * 'Agatha," the boomed new pla\ paitauthored by Mr*. Humphrey Ward was a failure in London. Mi&s Lillah McCarthy, once the late Wilson Bauett's leading lady, wa*> an the oast. • • • Raconteur G. F. Golden yarned straight ahead for several months in one single London theatre before lie came to the colonies. King Edward "commanded" three narforma.nces. * * * Patients suffeimg with oerebro-spmal meningitis must have tiheir haiir out. Although Paderewski has recovered his health somewhat, lie won't appear in public until he has recovered his han a **■ J. M Banne\ new play (written to exploit Miss Ellen Teny, and due at the London Duke of York's Theatre on the sth April) bears the weird title of "Alice, Sit by the Fire , a Page from a Daughter's Diary." * * * Joe Carroll Irish wrestler, beat Taro Miyake, the Jap wrestling ja-jitsu, in London. Taro had promised to wrestle tihe Irishman oatoh-as-catoh-can, but didn't come to lierht. His refusal created a "scene" in the Lyceum. * * * An English housemaid, who went for a bucket of coal from the aellai , gave one yell and fainted when bhe saw a monstrous mass of something that shouldn't be there. It was a dromedary from Lord George Sanger's circus, a,nd had fallen through the street gratMiss Nance O'Neill is now on her way from San Francisco with Mr. Charles Dalton, her leading man, and a company of about' a dozen actors and actresses, to serve as hersuppont in her second oolomal toui , which, beeins at the Melbourne Princess. Theatre on the lth June. • • ♦ Mario Dainton, a London vaudeville artist, became friendly with a.n American railroad magnate lately. He put her on to a good thing in stocks, and Marie has returned to England with 1,000,000 gilitterino: gayboys to spend on good things in stockinpcs. She ought to marry well, slhou'ld Marie. • • • "Leah Kleachna," the play on which Miss Tittell Brume is at present at work, was an emphatic success m Loudon, whither it went after a long atiJ most satisfactory season in New Yon*. Miss Lena Ash well created the tit' > role, for English audie/noes, and she w i* supported by Sir Chariest Wyndham and a powerful cast. * * * The Knight-Jeffries Company are still in Sydney and, as Julius Knight >s down w,ith typhoid, Harry Plimmer has taken his place in "If I Were King."' The next production will be "His Majesty's Servant." a romantic costume drama of Chailes II time, which was to be staged for the first time in Australia on Saturday last. » * * Mr. J. M. Barry tells an amusing story of how a man m the front row of the pit of a theatre avenged himself upotn a woman m the last low of the stalls, whose hat effectually prevented him from seeing the stage. "If you won't take off your hat," he said, in a Chesterfield tone of politeness, "will you be so kind, my dear madam, as to fold back your ears?" ♦ ♦ * Miss Witoherley, a new Irish actress, who has achieved success, has evidently exercised witohery on the critics. Silence, and here goes one of them — "She is a very beautiful young: woman, possessed of the glory of midnight eyes. beaming with the 'starlight of dlreams and has a voice with the silvery warmth of Bummer moonlight." Anyone desiring warm moonlight had better hury, as there are only two quarts left. • • ♦ The Australasian rights of Andre Messenger's new comic opera "Le Petit Mlichou." have been secured by Mr. J. C. Williamson. It was originally decided to call it "Two Little Girls," but the French title has stuck The plot deals with the experiences of a grocer who takes charge of a marquis's daughter, and then rashly mixes the <nfant aristocrat up with his own daughter, with disastrous consequences. Tha piece will be added to the repertoire of the Royal Comic Opera Company.