BEST TRADE SINCE 1930

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 63, 26 December 1935, Page 5

BEST TRADE SINCE 1930

BONUSES IN UNITED STATES. NEW r YORK, Dec. 24. America is enjoying the' best Christmas since the beginning of the depression. Income tax collections for the last quarter indicated that people had many more millions to spend this year, and a nation-wide survey of the Christmas shopping showed a 10 per cent, increase over 1934, and the best holiday trade since 1930. The benefits are spread uniformly over the country. The return of that proof of prosperity;, the bonus, was a cheerful sign.* Kansas City, Detroit, Chicago, and New York, the principal industrial centres of the country, all reported that establishments were distributing individual bonuses of from ICO to 2000 dollars to workers. The principal gift is by the General Motors Corporation, which has divided equally 5,000,000 dollars among 200,000 employees. The Standard Oil Company of New Jersey lias announced the establishment of a thrift fund for pension purposes, in which the company will meet, dollar for dollar, the contributions of employees. "While the general tone of business is increasingly better, distributions of public and private relief ‘remained undiminished, showing that the improvement in economic conditions has not yet permeated all levels of society. N.S.W. BUSINESS RECORD. UNEMPLOYMENT HALVED IN YEAR. SYDNEY, December 25. The weather here to-day was very hot, and there were huge crowds in the surf. In Melbourne rain squalls and a severe south-westerly wind spoiled the day. Shopkeepers report record trading this Christmas, while railway and post office officials also say that the business done just before Christmas lias established records. The improvement in industry during 1935 is reflected in a decrease of about 40,000 in the number of unemployed relief workers. A year ago the figure was 80,000. The Government is confident that conditions next year will improve to an even greater extent.