CHRISTMAS DAY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 49, Issue 65, 27 December 1928, Page 5

CHRISTMAS DAY.

♦ THE QUEEN'S PURCHASE. BRACELET FOR HERSELF. LONDON, December 25. Continuing her policy of presenting herself at Christmas with the object she has most desired, Queen Mary selected a seven-linked bracelet of platinum encircled with cut diamonds, in three divisions of which were beautiful miniatures of her grandchildren, Princess Elizabeth and the Hon. George and Hon. Gerald Lascelles. It is understood that the four remaining divisions will later contain the likenesses of the Queen's four sons.— Australian Press Association.

HEAVY AIR MAILSr

TRANSPORT RECORDS BEATEN. LONDON, December 25. An Imperial Airways omcial said today: "We have beaten all records for the transport of Christmas seasonable freight across the Channel." His story is repeated by the officials of every air line from London to Continental cities. Aeroplanes carried capacity loads of gifts from Paris in the past week, and quantities went from London to Cologne, Amsterdam and Brussels. The heaviest trade of all was carried this morning with the shipping of lastminute gifts.—Australian Press Association.

RECORD SALES IN NEW YORK.

WASHINGTON, December 25. Having complied with the annual custom on Christmas Eve and pressed the electric button lighting the Capitol's Christmas tree, President Coolidge and Mrs Coolidge departed today for Eapelo Island (off the Georgia coast), where they will spend the Christmas and New Year holidays. Mr Hoover passed Christmas aboard the battleship Utah, which is nearing the Equator on its voyage home. The crew joined the President-elect in singing carols on the quarter-deck. Meanwhile New York reports a bountiful Christmas mail. Records were broken, and stores reported tremendous sales, some managers estimating that this year found the breatest buying in the history cf thenstores. The New York Post Office reported 141,000,000 pieces of mail handled, which is the greatest Christmas mail ever handled in New York City.— Australian Press Association.

CHRISTMAS EVE IN LONDON. LONDON, December 25. Despite drizzling rain on Christmas Eve, many people crowded into Piccadilly and the Strand, and night clubs did a rushing business. Stores remained open especially late for the benefit of those who had left their purchases until the last minute in view of the King's illness. —Australian Press Association.

POPE OFFICIATES AT MASS. ROME, December 25. The Italian Royal family celebrated Christmas quietly in the Villa Savoia, near Rome, and, according to custom, hundreds of children in the asylums of the city received toys as a Christmas gift from the Queen. . The Pope officiated at Mass in his private chapel, and gave Communion to a number of his relatives. Sign or Mussolini and family celebrated the day at his residence in the city and! were joined later by members of the Italian Naval League.— Australian Press Association.

FRENCH MINISTERS' HOLIDAY. PARIS, Devember 25. As a result of the decision of the French Senate not to complete the work on the Budget, its prominent members were able to spend the holiday at their estates and elsewhere. The Foreign Minister (M. Briand) went to Cocherell, where he acted as Santa Claus for the children of the town. According to their custom, MM. Poincare, Leygues and Painleve went to their estates. M. Clemenceau motored to the tomb of his friend, Claude Money, the artist, upon which he placed flowers,—Australian Press Association,