CHRISTMAS TRADE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16741, 23 December 1914, Page 4

CHRISTMAS TRADE.

BUSINESS IN THE CITY. \ ' 'GENERALLY AS GOOD AS USUAL. As far as outward appearances, are concerned, tho war has lind very littlo ( Toot on business in Christchurch. Street decorations went out of fashion in 'this city about ten years ago. No shop now makes itself conspicuous by fern-fronds and flags, as in the old days, but many windows are brightened' by the colours of Christinas goods, and boro and there an orthodox Santa Claus may bo seen parading tho pavement in conventional white wig, jackboots and scarlet robe. The shops echo the* laughter and patter of children, and attendants fall over ono another to fulfil orders. In spite of wars and commotions, in fact, Christchurch is spending its Christmas in the usual way, and, apparently, is almost as liberal with its money as in piping times of peace. Nearly all the largo firms,. whoso turnovers are calculated in many thousands, state that they never have had a better Christmas season. If one takes tile trouble to go into the position, lie will find that scores of business people will prodheo hooks and figures to demonstrate the superiority of Christmas week this year over tho same week last year. For instances, the head of one of the largest general business concerns in the city stated yesterday that his retail sales were greatly in excess of sales at this time last year, and that if it was not for the newspapers and tho disruption of shipping ho' would seldom remember that a groat war was being waged. The head of another general business concern said that tho season was proving much better than he expected. Some of the large drapery firms were alarmed in the first week of August, when the public significantly tightened its purse-strings, but now the position is almost normal for this season. Another large drapery firm is confident that when the season is ended the figures will represent record takings. Day by day since December 1, this firm has beaten the daily records of December. 1913. Jewellers, who might be expected to feel the first effects of restricted buying, are doing quite as well as they did last year, and expect to do better. Booksellers’ shops are thronged, and tables of suede booklets, cards and three-and-sixpenny novels have been absolutely cleared. It has nothing to do with the war, of course, but for some reason works on theology, and travel, which, usually sell in large numbers at Christmas time, are almost neglected. Fountain pens have come into high favour as Christmas gifts. A firm that deals in expensive china and glassware produced by the famous factories of the Old World lias never had a busier time. It is patronised mainly by wealthy people, and these evidently are spending at least as much this Christmas as they spent last Christmas on those exquisite pieces of art. Generally, in most lines of business, especially in drapery, there are nioro customers than formerly, hut they aro spending less individually, and' there is a tendency to buy presents of medium price. This is accounted for l y tho theory that collections for the war have made heavy drains on people’s purses. On the other hand, large casli concerns report favourably, and there seems to he no difficulty in getting accounts settled. There is a difference of opinion amongst firms that deal in mo-tor-cars. Some say that the war has swept away their business, others that the business has held its own in the turmoil. Apparently, farmers are Inlying fewer motor-cars than they might have been expected to buy if Britain liad not gone to war. As to motorcycles and bicycles, they are bought, stolen,' damaged and repaired as frequently as they wore before the war. The building trade, as far os its position can bo judged by inquiries, has been seldom, in recent years, so slow. Down amongst tho small men complaints are heard fairly frequently. Large grocers and small grocers are very busy, but some small drapers, tailors, bootmakers and miscellaneous tradesmen', including some proprietors of music shops, find customers few and far between "and the times somewhat hard. But, almost without exception, there is a confident tone in the city, and a belief that the Now Year will bring further prosperity.