STORE STORMED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 175, 26 July 1944, Page 6

STORE STORMED

TOWELS SCRAMBLE

CALL MADE TO POLICE

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day

A milling, surging mass of people besieged a large city store this morning in a frantic attempt to buy coloured towels. As tlie doors opened women were thrown to the giound, handbags, gloves and baskets "were scattered in all directions, counteis were mounted by anxious buj era, and some of the staff were driven to the back of the shop and had to mount a merchandise rack to escape from the mob.

The first people arrived at the store before 7 o'clock, and by 8 o'clock there was a queue about IQO yards long and about six deep. By S3O the number had doubled and people were still arriving in droves. With the opening of the doors the crowd veiled and surged forward, blocking the opening. Then, as some freed themselves from the crush and rushed the manchester department, others were hurled througn the door bv pushing crowds at the back. Some landed full length on the ground and one girl hurtled into the shop with the front of her clothing ripped open. As soon as they could assistants again locked the doors, but by tins time those already in the store had swarmed over the show cases and counters, and, waving coupon books and money, were demanding towels. Forced Over Counters The pressure of those at the back was so great that the people in front were forced over the counters and were soon milling round among tile assistants and cash registers. Several fainted and had to be hauled up on to the merchandise racks, which stand about 6 feet 6 inches in height, at the back of the counters. Bv 9 30 the position was completely out of hand and the police were summoned. The arrival of t\\ o constables was greeted with cheers from the crowd, and soon they also were down behind the counters trying to clear a space in which the assistants could work. By this time emergency tills had been installed at the top of the merchandise rack and towels were being sold from there. Factories close by report that many of their employees failed to turn up and they believed they were out buying towels. The manager of the store expressed his disgust that people should be forced to undergo such an ordeal to obtain essential articles.