AUSSIE SANTA CLAUS

Grey River Argus, 2 December 1943, Page 4

AUSSIE SANTA CLAUS

POORER SPIN THAN EVER Austerity Christmas (Special to N.Z. Press Assn.) (Rec. 10.35) SYDNEY, Dec. 1. Australia’s second austerity Christmas finds Santa Claus labouring under much greater difficulties than a year ago. Goodwill, in a large measure. must compensate for an acute shortage of gifts. Regulations ban the' display of Father Christmas signs in the retail stores, as well as advertising references to Christmas or New Year by name, or the practice of giving seasonal gifts. No toys have been imported, and their manufacture within Australia has been virtually banned. Except for a small amount of old stock, snapped up in spite of exorbitant prices, the only toys available are those made from scrap material by a few returned soldiers and other disabled persons, to whom special permits have been issued.

Staggering prices are being paid for second-hand toys, which two years ago would have been discarded as junk. The original pre-war prices for new toys have more than doubled.

Although there will be a special release of some Christmas foodstuffs, including ham and bacon, and possibly dried fruits, the Australian housewife faces an increasingly austere food position in the New Year. Features of it will be the most severe egg shortage yet. experienced in Australia; the rationing of meat to two and a-quarter pounds . per person weekly; a total ban on the sale of unsweetened condensed milk: restrictions on the sale of powdered and other prepared milk products, and the pegging of ice-cream sales. Australians w’ll be given no extra holiday travel facilities for Christmas. Indeed these have been heavily reduced. A small' petrol allowance. promised to the owners of pleasure boats, has been held ovex’ until increased coal production permits the transport services return to normal.

Even seasonal greetings present a problem—since the manufacture of Christmas cards has been banned in Australia for the past two years, and the stocks are running low*.