HEAVY TRAFFIC

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20995, 23 December 1939, Page 6

HEAVY TRAFFIC

CHRISTMAS TRADE TESTERDAY’S BIG TURNOVER FIGURES FOR PERIOD DOWN Christmas late shopping night trade records were shattered in Hamilton last night when business men) experienced in the majority of cases, a better turnover than for the late night last year, which was considered a record. Although trade for the whole Christmas period has not in all cases been completed yet, the majority of the retailers in Hamilton consider the figures will be slightly down on last year.

With hustling crowds, packing the shops all yesterday and again last night the figures soared, and thus retrieved the trade from a position which earlier in the week appeared likely to be considerably poorer than last year. Taken all round, however, the Christmas trade in Hamilton and other Waikato towns has been very satisfactory.

Some businessmen ventured to say that the day yesterday was the best since pre-war days. Others who had not been in business quite that length of time, considered the turnover for the day constituted a record. While a retailer of luxury goods said the prices being paid for Christmas gifts yesterday were fully up to those of last year, the manager of a soft goods store considered that customers were not spending so liberally. More customers were served, however, and that brought the figures up. In many cases people appeared to be buying household goods at the same time as their Christmas shopping, apparently in view of the likelihood of the shortage of stocks as a result of import control. Some business people reported slight increases on the month’s turnover, but the majority of those interviewed were of the opinion that the Christmas period figures were slightly down. Days of the week were somewhat slacker than usual, exuwpt yesterday. With the shops opened for an hour later than the usual late shopping nights during the year, assistants had a busy time and augmented staffs were rushed to cope with the trade. The town was very busy, and a festive spirit was apparent.