CHRISTMAS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2754, 22 December 1894, Page 2

CHRISTMAS.

TEMUKA. At Temuka the window displays were not on an extensive scale, but tradesmen, nevertheless, laid in their customary stocks of seasonable goods, in anticipation of their customers being tempted, in spite of hard times, to purchase with some little liberality. '■ On the butcher s stocks one cannot comment, for the exigencies of_ their business prevented, any marked display. Both Messrs Whitehead & Son and J. I Jieo, however, have taken care to maintain the excellent reputation Temuka enjoys for the supply of prime quality beef, mutton, etc. Mr J. Brown's stock js entirely new, and he has some useful Jpes in the clothing department, new season's fruit in his grocery sjde, aud a choice collection of china and glassware. Mr David Taylor's window looked particularly neat. In addition to a phoice stock of he makes a speciality of his crockery and shows beside ordinary household ware, some really finished linos of fancy glass arlici?*. not only ornamental, but useful, aud adapted for Christmas presents. Mr James Harrison's stock is, aa usual, carefully selected, and he has studied the requirements of Mb customers iu every detail. His stock of-groceries is veay complete, and comprises all leading Hues. Messrs Prattley & Buxton, of Arowhonua, have also laid in a capital lino or two for the festive season, and their store ' - attractive. In addition looKa t -woceries, they have a neat to general - ~~<v and seasonable display of crocks, drapery. • -** Mr J. W. Miles has dressed his windo... with customery good tast-j, and they present a very gay appearance. He has a really nice collection of fancy articles in the shape of baskets, Japanese ware, work-boxes, sunshades, etc., and some excellent lines in fashionable millinery. The men's department has not beeu neglected, and the large show room at the back is replete with novelties. To meet his customer's requirements special arrangements have been made in the dressmaking and tailoring departments. Mr W. C. Roulston's stock is well up to his ordinary high standard, and his shop will repay inspection. His collection of fancy goods offers a number of novelties, and he has a large supply of articles at prices to meet the purses of all. The general drapery department is well ptocked with fashionable goods, both for men's aud women's wear. The dressmaking aud millinery shops are under able supervision. ]

Messrs Beath & Co. make a special display- of drapery for the season, and bave a choice lot of fancy articles which they present to their customers as souvenirs of Christmas. Mr J. A. McCaskill has, in addition to a splendid assortment of confectionery— English, colonial, and continental a very well selected lot of children's toys, comprising all the latest novelties in dolls, workboxes, and so forth. He has made special arrangements for providing refreshments to visitors during the festive week. Mrs McCallum's window is nicely dressed, and her stock of confectionery very choice and new. The coffee room is neatly fitted and convenient. Miss Doiioghue also has some choice lines in confectionery, including chocolute cream packages, bon-bons, etc. An addition for the occasion has been made to her general grocery department, and extra accommodation provided in the luncheon room. Messrs Kirby & Anderson, without making any special display, have prepared some tasteful and attractive Christmas cakes, iced and plain, together with a varied lot of confectionery. Mr James Marshall has also a nice lot of cakes, but reserves his forces for Hogomonay. He has arranged his refreshment room very comfortably. Mr J. Sim has added to his already well selected jewellery stock some exceptionally artistic articles suitable for presents. Amongst these are some pretty brooches, charms, and other trinkets, dear to the fairer sex. His window is very neatly dressed. Both Messrs and Dann have some extra lines for the season in the . shape of perfumes and toilet requisites, and the latter has a very choice assortment of Christmas cards, children's picture books and leading pictorials. Mr E. Brown shows a lot of neat household appliances, including many novelties in culinary utensils. Mr J. Beri's furnishing warehouse displays complete suites of furniture, a number of well-finisned isolated articles, many of them solely of New Zealand manufacture, some neat lamps, wfcker chaiss. rubber-tyred perambulators, and general domestic necessaries. GERALDINE. Notwithstanding the fact that money is unusually scarce this year, the local storekeepers have not been afraid to venture on substantial orders for new seasonable goods, with the hope that things will brighten at Christmas, if at no other time of the year. Taken all round, the shows this year are quite on a par with any of previous years. A description of the shops and windows is given below. Messrs N. Dunlop & Co. have gone in largely this year for some of the best Hues in fancy goods, which, they inform us, are selling like " hot cakes" for Christmas presents. The drapery showwindows are»certainly a credit to the establishment and the window dresser, the window on the right especially being very artistically arranged, the background of Japanese umbrellas, Chinese lanterns, etc,, lending pretty effect to the fore part of the show. On entering the drapery department we meet a large stand of all kiuds of nicnacks, Japanese brackets, baskets, trays, albums, ladies' hand bags, companions, etc., etc. This stand is set off by an enormous Japanese umbrella spread out at the top of the back end. The department is also hung with Chinese lanterns, some of which have very grotesque shapes. Eoth the ladies' and men's departments are well stocked with summer goods. Through a door to the left we enter the large show-room, which presents a pretty sight with its large assortment of fancy goods, millinery, etc. Five large tables are fully laden with all manner of useful articles for Christmas, while at one end is a stand of dolls of great variety. In this room there are shell-work articles, Japanese inlaid tables and trays, photo, frames, firescreens, cruet stands, ornaments, plaques, etc. In the boot department there is a nice assortment of boots of English and colonial makes. The grocery department contains a large stand of fancy crockery--ware, Japanese chinaware and glassware, and there is also a great quantity of children's toys hung along the walls and shelves on the right. Among the store goods there is a new line in jams, and some thirst-quenching summer drinks—-pine-apple, lime-juice, raspberry, gingerwine, etc. There are also worth noticing the fine collection of dried fruits, figs, nuts, raisins, etc. In the butchery there is a prime lot of Christmas meats. Mr F. D. Herdman has one or two fine pieces of furniture on view. He has also a stock of carpets, linoleums, etc. Mr E. Kobson has a variety of gold and silver jewellery on hand suitable for Christmas boxes. Mr J, Riordan has his store window neatly arranged with crookeryware, etc., while the confectionery window shows Christmas cakes, shortbreads, etc.

Messrs Hardy & Co. have their shop full of very seasonable goods both in drapery aud grocery lines, which should command a ready sale. The shop through-out is very tastefully deoorated for the holiday season, the windows being worthy of inspection. In the drapery department there is everything to delight the hearts of the ladies, while in general merchandise and groceries there is a large and varied stock. In fancy goods and stationery Messrs Hardy & Co. have a numerous stock of new lines just to hand, which ought to go well at this time of the year. The seasonable goods in the grocery department contain inter alia a lot of new fruits, currants, raisins, sultanas, muscatels, figs, prunes, desBicated cocoauut, etc., which should help to add flavour to the Christinas feasts. There is also a splendid display of crockery, glassware, ironmongery, etc. Mr Pye, seedsman and florist, shows in his window a good variety of seeds and other requisites. Fart of his window is also devoted to sweets for the young people. Commerce House quite upholds its reputation of former yaais for an endless variety of seasonable goods making very desirable Christmas presents. Mr J. W. Pye has his shop full to the doors with es» delight both young aud old an --"ttypFcffpnts. suitable for the and" many F . M "»«»y «>?B§fc The stocking in the ca... with ladies' department is fesiuv. ribbons and laces and new summer goou~, a large collection with a diversity of colors. The millinery department has a groat exhibition of hats and unique trimmings. Among the fancy goods there is a special line in bamboo which is worth seeing. There are bamboo brackets, easels, and almost everything imaginable. Mr Pye has also a splendid assortment of Christmas cards. He goes in specially for this line, and has some extremely handsome ones to select from. Mr Pye has some new pattern in carpets, linoleums, and other house furnishings. The boot department is well stocked and the largo show windows should look decidedly pretty when lit up this evening. They are very nicely adorned with hanging baskets os artificial flowers, fans, etc.

Mr J. J. McCaskey, photographer, has a neat window of photos, enlargements, and framed pic.ures. Mr H. A. Borrows, chemist, has a new Btock of toilet so.<ps, scents, and general toilet requisites. His stock in other articles has also largely increased to miit the varied tastes of his customers since he commenced business at Geraldine. Mr R. H. Pearpoint, having plenty of room in his commodious premites, is able to show off his Christmas goods to the best possible advantage. Facing the doorway his large stand is covered with fancy articles of every description, some of which should make very handsome Christmas gifts. There are watches, clocks, quite a new line in jelly ana jam dishes, breakfast cruets, trays, vases, albums, and many articles of first-class quality. A prettilyarranged stand on the right, as we enter the door, holds a collection of novelties in the shape of glassware, vases, flower stands, Japanese ware, tea sets, toilet sets, and choice ornaments. The men's department is well stocked with new goods for the season, as is also the boot department. In ironmongery there are also several new lines, while in the general grocery there are many things suitable for Christmas cheer, muscatels and other dried fraits, confectionery, etc., splendid samples. The spacious front windows show some taste in decorating, one being devoted chiefly to toys and a numerous lot of parlour games, and an extensive collection of Christmas cards, while the other, is taken up with crockeryware' of every conceivable pattern. Mr Pearpoint has, besides, another small shop and window detached from the main building, in whioh he y has stocked a superior lot of basket goods. ' Here there'are baskets'- of all shapes and sizes, fire screens, brackets, ornaments, etc.

Miss Burridge has a fine show of summer hats, bonnets, trine minga, etc. Mr T. E. Loach & Son show tin and iron ware. A big stock of useful goods manufactured on the premises; also the " Success " bucket.

Messrs Morrison Bros, have a new stock of toys in for Christmas. Also a large line in fancy vases and glass ware. Each department is well stocked for the season. The stands in each department are nicely set out.

Mr W. T. Turner has on view an assorted of clocks and electro-plated ware, pipes, etc. Miss. Bowkett has a show of fancy bon-bons, chocolates, -etc.