BUSY SHOPPING EVENING

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28158, 22 December 1956, Page 10

BUSY SHOPPING EVENING

LOWPRICED GOODS POPULAR

MANY CUSTOMERS IN BIG STORES

Filling large department stores so that movement was almost impossible, jostling on pavements where progress was impeded by the uncertain and the slow, and hurrying in apparently solid bodies across pedestrian crossings when released by the wave of a traffic officer’s hand, many thousands of persons last evening t.lled the shopping area of Christchurch to complete their Christmas shopping. A fairly quiet afternoon turned into an evening in which trading was busy and brisk. With everyone intent on buying and few window shoppers, assistants in most shops—and particularly in the large chain and departmental stores —had no time to pause between customers.

Persons appeared to be buying a greater amount of goods than usual but in the lower price range. The managers of stores reported that “panic-buying’’ usually resulted in more expensive goods being bought but with another shopping day still to come the customers’ choice yesterday remained fairly deliberate. Most persons seemed to have something definite in mind when they set out and shopping was marked by an air of purpose. The peak was reached about 8 p.m. At intersections not controlled by traffic lights—the intersections of Gloucester street and the Square with Colombo street in particular—traffic officers had difficulty coping with the pedestrians and cars which came in all directions.

The flow of traffic was switched at short intervals but crowds still blocked the corners opposite the crossing and prevented free movement along the pavements. .

The number of men in sporting goods and hard' are shops and the number of women in dress shops suggested that some persons were buying for themselves rather than for others. To balance this, a number of women were buying men’s clothing and a certain number of men were to be seen in jewellery shons. Books and cosmetics sold well.