SEEKERS AFTER BARGAINS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVI, Issue 10457, 25 July 1925, Page 4

SEEKERS AFTER BARGAINS

ASHBURTON EXCITEMENT. POLICE RESTRAIN THE CROWD. Melbourne cables record the fact that thousands of people waited tor two hours to view the procession ot American sailors. Asbburton can go: one better. Hundreds waited hours yesterdav outside an East Street establishment to view an array of jazz underskirts— "usually 12s 6d, now 6s 3d"—and other tempting bargains. Sharp at 7 a.m. the advance guard took stand outside the main door, and scouts appeared at intervals up till J o'clock, when .miniature armies of bar-gain-hunters debouched from the adjacent thoroughfares and formed a cordon a dozen deep round the entrances. At opening time there was a rush for the doors, which were closed as soon as the shop was tilled to capacity. One of the doors was opened about 10 a.m. to let out a customer heavily burdened with parcels. The queue* hard against the door swarmed in, filling the shop to overflowing. After that, customers were ushered out bv a door at the rear of the premises." Once in, buyers made the best of their opportunity, and bought extensively, resulting in the doors being opened only twice in the day. Toward evening the manager hit upon an excellent idea for clearing the shop—he would extinguish the lights, opening the doors, and out the crowds would go. Result: the doors opened, the lights went out, and with the departing shoppers went a valuable overcoat—probably the biggest bargain •of the day. It was poor consolation for the manager -when he discovered in its stead a venerable cloak or archaic design. The crowds gathered again in tlie evening, and attempted to storm the shop by the rear entrance. Three or four men on the inside of the door withstood the pressure until prudence told them to engage the police. The blue uniforms had a quietening effect. It is recorded that one lady had a portion of her nether garments caught by a closing door, and nut in a thrilling two-hour wait till it re-opened—-an incident that was viewed with Considerable and ill-concealed hilarity by her companions. "