XMAS GREETINGS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 12139, 29 December 1933, Page 4

XMAS GREETINGS

modern methods in p. ANDY. DEPARTMENT; cEQUEL'-'TO publicity CAMPAIGN. > - h

: ENORMOUS INCREASE IN x J GISBORNE TELEGRAMS. TOTAL OF . 3289 LAST WEEK ■ .-AGAINST 1245 IN 1232.,

It is a well-known axiom that every business must advertise if. if desires to progress. This has been exemplified in thousands, of cases', but surely never more/effectively than m the case of Christmas greetings by telegram. In former years, th,s method of conveying good wishes has been popular, but the message was confined to one 'stereotyped phrase, a wish] for va a Happy New Year. This yeasr, however, it was decided to carry out a publicity-,campaign to extend business.. Circulars were sent to householders informing them that any one : of eight different and most appropriate messages could be sent, or 7 more, if «!*&•, messages could be lodged'-'at. any time to' oe sent ait the date required. If the intending sender desired further information, the postal-authorities wpuld send an' official •to explain- Put plainly, the department, •instead of waiting fb'r the people to come to the Post Gffica,' sent: We Post Office -after the.-people, thus carrying on business ; on the most approved; modern methods: The’result so. far a-s Gisborne is concerned, and it is believed this is merely a, reflex of the whole of the Domiinion, is that yecord business is shown, the telegrams sent during Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday of .last .week, totalling 3289 aga£nst\l244s for tbe corresponding days' last - year, - •- - • Needless to say, the telegraphic and delivery staff- had a most strenuous time. The . peak of -the rush was between 10 a.m. and noon on the Saturday. - Another, rush, , was experienced also about, J P-nu, and a still further one between 5 and .7 p.m. Despite the strenuous time. Doth telegraph -and deliveries- staff*- came through the ordeal', well,, and the big batches of messages were forwarded, received, or delivered, as- the case might be, witli the utmost expedition.

Natually, also at this time the year, the telegraph w;ork generally is heavier" than usual outside of Christmas messages, and these also showed an .increase.

In addition, there was also an advance in the number of telegrams known as transmits- For instance, a ihessage from Auckland to Ruaiona must go through the Gisborne ex-

change. Taken all through, the business this Christmastide constituted a record for the Gisborne office, and incidentally Terms a. . glowing advertisement for the district in other part s . of the Dominion. STRENUOUS FOUR DAYS. Details of the Christmas business are as follow: —■' ;- - i Total number of telegrams forwarded from. , Gisborne, including Christmas - telegrams i~.. i. ■; ' ; . 1933. is* -f. Wednesday. ;. 474 -337 1 Thursday “ |22 381 Friday 1611 747 Saturday ... .’ 2250 1440 4857 2905 Total number, of Christmas greeting telegrams forwarded - from Gisborne:— 19331 1932. Wednesday 170 51 Thursday 203 57 Friday 1134 318 Saturday ... 1782 820 3289 124-5 Total number of telegram s received in Gisborne, including Christmas telegrams : 1933. 1932. Wednesday 380 296 Thursday ... ... ... 549 4‘2i Friday 1381 78 V Saturday 2005 1312 4315 2816 Total number of messages passed through Gisborne on to other places: - : /; 1933. 1932. Wednesday 284 127 Thursday 30S 198 Friday. '.. 7.63 539 Saturday 1393 1012 274 S 1876 MOST POPULAR MESSAGE.

This year, as stated above, the sender was given the choice of eight messages, which were as follows: — A: A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. B: A Happy Christmas and a Bright A and Prosperous New Year. O: May Health and Happiness he •„' yours at Christmas and throughout the New Year. D: The compliments of the season to yon all. . ' ' E; Love and best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to all .at homo. • F: Many thanks for your good, i- wishes; reciprocate heartily. H: At this festive season we would „ express appreciation of the. cordial. relations hetiyeen us anci extend to you Best, wishes for the Christmas and the New Year. $ : A Happy New Year to y° n - The most' popular telegram by far Was Message C, followed in order of preference by B. A fairly substantial fall .then occurred to E and A» .which Were practically level, the [cply telegram F, and the commonplace greeting- D bringing, up the rear of what might bo called domestic, familyv or friendly. messages. Message H, of course, applies solely to business, while J wished the recipient a 'Happy. New Year.• ■ ’ ' ’

-Over the four’ days, the totals of the-four messages were as follow.— ; A' ... 451. U 6SO C 902 H 309 E 434 . M ” ... ; Ml.' . J ... -■*