THE CHRISTMAS SEASON.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 December 1919, Page 6

THE CHRISTMAS SEASON.

OLD TIME FESTIVITY REVIVED, Not since before the outbreak of war has there been such marked gaiety ami festive rejoicings at the Christmas season as has characterised the celebration of the great Christian festival of 1919. The of war which darkened the sky ana depressed the spirits during the past years have happily dispersed, and people appeared to enter with an old-time abandonment into the enjoyments of the season. In spite of all that is said and heard about the high cost of living, money lias been spent more freely this year than ever, and shopkeepers in every branch of business have had a record season. Altogether there seems to have been nothing to mar or interfere with the full enjoyment of Christmastide Large numbers of people have been travelling in all directions. The railways have carried heavy passenger traffic, and trains arriving at and departing from New Plymouth have been crowded, while the accommodation on the Rarawa on tlie last few trips she has made has been fully taxed to deal with the large number of passengers requiring berths. One striking evidence of the return to former gaiety and freedom with which the season is usually celebrated, is given in the amount of mail and telegraphic matter handled by the Post and Telegraph Department. The figures for the days preceding Christmas Eve were very much in advance of previous years, while those for the whole season will be, according to the estimate of the Chief Postmaster at New Plymouth, easily a record in all departments.

Number of mail bags and parcel receptacles received and despatched, 1823 (1918, 1549); telegrams forwarded, 3064 (2133); telegrams received, 3605 (2031); telegrams transmitted, 4740 (3015); postage stamps sold, £1124 (£960). On Wednesday, 24th inst., there were 1314 telegrams forwarded, and 1461 received, against 862 and 1084 last year. In New Plymouth, business continued exceedingly brisk all day on Wednesday, while the crowd in the streets at night was one of the largest Christmas Evo crowds ever seen. Goodwill prevailed on cjyery hand, and despite the proportions of the crowd, there was no untoward, circumstance.

Christmas Day was celebrated in orthodox fashion. The Salvation Army Band, which had played in the streets on the previous evening, did a fairly good round of carol playing early in the morning, and were rewarded with a good measure of support for their effort. In most of the churches services were held in the early part of the day, the remainder of which was spent by the people in their homes, where the customary family reunions took place, and all joined, for a brief space at all events, in promoting "peace on earth and goodwill to men." The holiday yesterday was marred by the weather, otherwise there would have been huge crowds thronging the pleasure resorts. The rain, however, though it robbed the people of their pleasure for the day, will be of inestimable benefit to the country. The picture places and entertainment houses were thronged witii holiday audiences last night, when the weather took up.