FIRST WAR XMAS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20992, 20 December 1939, Page 6

FIRST WAR XMAS

SHOPPERS GET BUSY

THE "20th” IN HAMILTON RETURNS DOWN ON LAST YEAR Hamilton today was humming with the hustle of Christmas shopping crowds. From as early as 10 o’clock the street was crowded and during the day many farmers came to town armed with dairy cheques. In Hamilton, the centre of a rich dairy industry, the word “20th” has a magic influence upon businessmen, especially at Christmas, for it is pay-day for the farming community and brisk business is assured. The first Christmas of the war is but a few days off and only two and a-half shopping days remain for the completion of gift buying. To equal the unusually high turnovers of last year, trade will need to improve in that short interval. The opinion of businessmen generally is that shopping has been satisfactory, although poorer than last year. Despite the war and a few prophets of gloom, there has been no apparent “blackout” in buying for the festive season of 1939, It appears that when the turnover figures are checked next Saturday morning after the late shopping night on Friday the fall on last year will not be serious. Reasons For Slight Decrease Commenting on the trade, businessmen in Hamilton have offered varying reasons for the slight decline. Some consider the advent of the harvesting season at the period when the Christmas buying should be reaching its peak has kept many farmers from town, and therefore a rush period will develop over the last two days. One businessman was of the opinion that the declining stocks and the resultant limitation of selection for gift buyers was having a marked influence on returns. Also, the fact that selection was more limited meant that assistants took longer to serve each customer, and could not equal their sales figures of last year. Shops have been particularly busy during the last few days. When this fact is considered in conjunction with the decrease in returns, said another businessman, it appeared as if the people were not spending quite so much money. He suggested that the public was perhaps somewhat apprehensive for the future. A vendor of luxury lines had reasons for considering the money was not circulating as freely. He said people had been paying for luxury lines by instalments since the first deposit was paid some weeks ago. Last year, on the other hand, many more people were purchasing for cash. On the whole the same high prices as last year were not being paid for luxury goods, with the result that there was an apparent decline in that class of shopping. Luxury gifts, however, are always necessary for the happiest gratification of the Christmas spirit of giving, and a fairly large amount of goods of that class is being sold. Gifts For The Soldiers Books are always a favourite gift. Booksellers in Hamilton have been busy this week, although in this instance also the returns up to date, as compared with last season, are somewhat down. Of course it is too early yet to gauge the exact comparison, as business may be exceedingly brisk in the next few days. However. a factor which is likely to keep down the turnover from book sales is that there is at present no outstanding seller on the market, as at Christmas last year. The advent of the war has dislocated shippings from London to some extent; furthermore, publishers in London have been affected by the war. Fountain pens are having a particularly ready sale this Christmas as a practical gift for soldiers who will shortly leave New Zealand with the Second Expeditionary Force for military service overseas. Sporting goods are not selling so readily, mainly because of the number of men in the military camps and the fact that more will soon be called up. Fishing gear is in short supply owing to the import restrictions. Sales have been definitely affected. Position of Stocks The confectionery trade has not experienced such a busy period as last year and Christmas gifts have so far been fairly slow of sale. The hot weather, however, has kept the shops busy selling cool refreshments to the shopping crowds. Stocks ate plentiful in confectionery lines and a busy period is expected over the next two days. In most cases stocks are holding out for the Christmas trade, although import control has meant in many cases that no reserves are held by business firms. Some goods, usually popular during the Christmas shopping period,/are already almost sold out. In this way toilet goods, handkerchiefs, some dress goods, have been affected. Other articles are becoming scarce.

Linen Flax Industry The 14 units of machinery to be installed as a plant for reaping and treating linen flax in the Rangiora district, ordered by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research at New Zealand House in August, are to be shipped to the Dominion during the next fortnight, says a London message. The machinery, made in Belgium, is valued at slightly over £IOOO. Linen flax fibre is used in the making of canvas duck for tents, tarpaulins, aeroplane fabric, rope and cordage. Air Force Mail Following receipt of communications from parents regarding the rather long interval since the receipt of the latest letters from their sons in the Royal Air Force, the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, cabled the High Commissioner in London asking if there were any special reason for the delay. Mr Jordan replied that apart from the change-over from air to sea mail, the censorship and the irregularity of steamer sailings, he had been advised that there was no special reason for the delay, except that since the outbreak of war routine letter writing had been interrupted by service conditions, including frequent change of station and lack of opportunity through intensive training. “ Please reassure parents,” Mr Jordan added. “ that I am closely watching the interests ol all serving New Zealanders here.”