CHRISTMAS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 31, 5 February 1910, Page 11

CHRISTMAS.

"A green Christmas ma/keth a fat ohurchyard," is a very old saying, but Otf the measure of its troth one cannot speak. It ie, however, very solid fact that so far as London and most big centres in the Old Country are concerned, "a green Christinas" means a much better time for the. working classes than the "good old-fashioned Christmas" with its frost and snow for which so many people profess to long. Hard frost means the stoppage of all building operations in the open, thus throwing out «f work, for maybe weeks on end, workers whose chances for providing against the days of unemployment are very email indeed, and a-t a time when they and tiheir dependents require the maximum amsunt of food, clothing, and fire to ntake'flife toleraible. Hard frosts always mean an increase of price' in many of the necessities of life, and particularly in coals. An "open- ,- winter means less unemployment and cheaper Irving, ami therefore a minmram otf suffering among those w« are wont to designate "the masses." To those of us -who are foeyond the reach of poverty's painful pinches, severe frosts and snow may seem preferable to the dull dark spiritr-depressing days •which a.re the alternative; but viewed from the poor man's standpoint the "open" winter possesses attractions which ifar outshine those of "the good old-fashioned" style.

So far aa London is concerned, there is small hope of "a good old-fashioned Christmas.ss Mild, muggy, drizzly days have been our lot this week, and the weather prophets hold out no hope for a change during the 'holidays. In other parts of the country frost and snow have been succeeded by a thaw that has produced destructive flooding! in low-lying districts, but :n the mid-land-3. and ■Qic north country they have been, enjoying , "real" winter weat&eai —• blizzards, skating, ski-ing and tobogganing- :

Incidently it may be remarked, train services .have been greatly' interfered with, drifts ha<ve: made roadways impassable, Tillages have been cut off from the outside* world for days, and half a ecore> otrgeople..have been frozen to death or have died from exposisse. All these things are, however, qudite in accordance with the traditions of the "good oldfashioned Christinas." , .