DEPRESSION IN TRADE.

Evening Star, Issue 13003, 24 December 1906, Page 11

DEPRESSION IN TRADE.

APFECTED BY THE EXHIBITION. [Special to tub Star.] CFTRISTCHURCH, December 24. The Christmas trade in Christchurch appears to have suffered to some extent from tiic presence of ihc Now Zealand International K*liibi:ion and its manifold attractions. Tne Ghrislchurcli public find that fhey have to face Chrisimas with raihrr less money than uMial in their collective pocket, owin™ to ihe demands for ready each made by the Exhibition during the pa«i six weet3 or so. To make matter; ■worse from tho point of view of the local thopkeepers, the people who have money to spend, and who in the ordinary course of affairs would purchase their Christmas presents in the city, are sho-sring a. disposition to. expend it in the various seductive knick-knacks offered at the stalls of exhibitors and ccocessiocaires. As a result, the bulk of tie Christmas and Xaw Year trade, as far as the shopkeepers of the city are concerned, seems likely to fall below the average, instead of sharing in the "boom" th*t optimists predicted must follow an influx 01 visitors. Some sltopkeepers, questioned on the matter by- a representative of the 'Star.* stated that they certainly found trade unusually dull, and they had no doubt at all as to the reason. People generally m*da a practics of saving a little moncv tot the Chrisimas season, in order that they xoight make a. few special purchases either for -themselves or for their friends. Dunn" the past six -weeks, however, everybody has been patronising the Exhibition, "and as a logical consequence everybody was just about "cleaned out," financially. The depression will be a matter for some annoyance to the local dealers, who had laid in extra, large stocks in anticipation of an increase of trade.