CHRISTMAS EVE

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 78, 26 December 1925, Page 3

CHRISTMAS EVE

ACTIVITIES IN PALMERSTON

RECORD CROWDS Thursday morning broke tine, but with an overcast sky, at T’almei stem North, but in the early hours of the dav it was evident that the town was to be crowded. Every avenue of transport saw innumerable motor-cars rushing to the inland centre, and long rows of carriages speeded past the Square at intervals of a few minutes. . By ” o'clock the streets were lined with cars, and the shops were packed to their utmost capacity. Buying on the part of the country people commenced early, and long before noon the yuletide' spirit was in evidence. Children with gaily-coloured streamers and balloons," carrying toys of every description, were in their element as Diey followed parents in and out of the shops. The collective sounds emitted from bugles, whistles, squeakers, and other devices for making noise gradually swelled in volume, until the streets echoed one continual drone, punctuated bv the deeper tones of motor horns and sirens. , Early in the afternoon it became a trving task to pass along the busv streets, which were hterallv packed with people from the town and country. The shops did record business in almost everv instance, and those specialising in toys, novelties, and other articles that expressed the spirit of the festive season had a very strenuous day and night. One of the best-appointed establishments in Palmerston, a business that has called forth many appreciative remarks for its beauty and the systematic arrangement of its contents, soon took on the appearance of a jumble sale. Although extra assistants had been engaged "to cope with the anticipated "rush, the continual streams of customers soon had the assistants working, at. top speed. Before the lunch hour the floors were strewn with paper and string, and the remains of broken balloons and damaged toys were much in evidence. ~ Another establishment that catered for juvenile trade by staging a very effective Christmas scena, had the satisfaction of seeing over 6000 people pass through the doors of the kiddies wonderland. "Since the attraction has been opened to the public, more people than live in Palmerston have been in to see it,” said an executive of the firm in discussing the . matter with a Dominion representative. In the late afternoon ram began to fall, and the crowds in the streets made a rush for home and overcoats. Motor-cars moved out of their parking places in almost military formation, and for an hour or so there was a lull in the excitement. A little later the weather improved sufficiently to permit the people to venture out again, and bv seven o'clock the streets of Palmerston held the record crowd of the town’s history. The shop-lined Square enclosing the beautiful shrubplanted reserves presented a magic, picture in the glow of the electric light. From anv side of ■ the Square the gay decorations and twinkling lights on Hie other side enticed the wanderer to behold their attractions, while the general scene gave one the impression of an enchanted garden. As the night wore on and the shops began to put up their shutters, happy and contented crowds wended their wav home, loaded with parcels of many shapes and sizes. But not all. lherc were many others who wanted to join in the spirit of yuletide to the utmost, and little bands'of impromptu musicians gave vent to their feelings with jew’s harps, mouth organs, and other popular dispensers of melody. Others found fun in singing chorus songs as they marched around the town, calling to sleepy-heads to come out and celebrate the greatest event in the year. It was not until the early hours of the morning that the town assumed its normal stale of quiet, and even then an occasional straggler entered into the picture as he hurriedly made his wav home to bed. Christmas 1925 broke all records in Palmerston North.

Scenes at the Station.

People rushing towards the refreshment room, a throng of passengers around the counters, the clatter of cups and saucers, and numerous holidaymakers seeking information from the various platform officials combined to give the Palmerston North railway station an extremely lively, appearance on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Until a few days ago most of the traffic was southbound, but during the past two davs it appeared to be fairly evenly distributed north and south. All the expresses were exceptionally well patronised, and some idea of the volume of traffic handled can be gleaned from the fact that on Christmas Eve there were six express trains from Auckland to Wellington and five in the other direction. There were also two Napier and two New Plymouth expresses each way, making a total of nineteen that passed through Palmerston North during that day. Up till midnight the platform was thronged with travellers journeying far afield, while during the dav country visitors and excursionists to Foxton and other holiday resorts filled the local trains.

The early part of Christmas Dav was no holiday for manv railwav officials, who were kept.busv handling the huge volume of holidaymakers. Fortunately for both officials and passengers the Yuletide spirit makes one overlook delays and other annoyances which at ordinary times are bv no means passed over. Cheerfully the crowds would come and go, and the Christmas atmosphere could not be mistaken.. ‘ V e like to see the lines busv,” said one railway man to a representative. “but we shall also be glad to see the end of the festive season.”