EASTER HOLIDAYS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22086, 16 April 1935, Page 11

EASTER HOLIDAYS

GOOD HOTEL BOOKINGS BRIGHT BUSINESS TONE SHOPPING ARRANGEMENTS Increased business is being done by retailers in Auckland in view of the approach of the Easter holidays. The specialised lines associated with the season, including the traditional Easter egg, are meeting with a better sale than in previous years, and business houses look for good trade in the four days during which they will bo open this week. Hotel accommodation is steadily filling and a heavy influx of visitors to the city is anticipated. At the same time, the promise of fine weather is likely to influence a largo number of Aucklanders to enjoy the opportunity of the last holiday of the season out of the city. Although there is no immediate indication of anything sensational in the way of business, several retailers regard the season as having opened auspiciously. Shoppers are buying well with a noticeable preference for betterclass goods. "There is still a marked shortage of that surplus money that usually makes for free spending," said one leading business man, yesterday. "The tone could hardly be described as buoyant, but people have been saving up with a view of spending their money for the holidays, and this week should be a good one in the shops." The Catering Problem Purveyors of various foodstuffs expect a busy week. Perishable goods will as usual form something of a problem for housewives, but the fact that shops will be open on Saturday will mean that catering has to be done for two days at the longest. Every provision will be made for the sale of meat during the holiday. Butchers will be open during Thursday afternoon and smallgoods shops will remain open during the evening. Good Friday, Easter Monday and Anzac Day will, of course, be regarded as holidays, but shops will do business as usual on Saturday morning. Deliveries of bread will be made on Thursday, Saturday and Tuesday, but not on Good Friday, Easter Monday and Anzac Day. The late Easter coinciding with the definite change to autumnal conditions has brought a good volume of business to merchants who deal in men's and women's clothes. Trade is reported to be quite as good as that at the same season last year and in many cases an improvement has been noticed. Not only has the sale of clothes increased, but the need for replacements after holding on for a Jong time has brought a good sale of furnishings, carpets and other household fittings. Prospects for holiday traffic are reported to be more bright than usual, and bookings for all classes of excursion promise to be good. The bright weather of the past two days has been a deciding factor in many cases, and people who were still hesitating over the question of whether to leave Auckland or not have realised the value of early bookings, a fact that kept the Government Tourist Bureau very busy all day yesterday. The long school holiday has also made a holiday out of Auckland worth while where parents can leave their business. Heavy Railway Traffic The usual holiday rush is being experienced at the Auckland railway station, where an augmented staff is now busily engaged in coping with the increase in passenger and goods traffic. "Bookings are extremely heavy," an official remarked yesterday, "and indications are that business will equal, if not exceed, the volume handled last Easter."

The public was evidently taking full advantage of the special time-table arrangements, and while the demand for seats and sleeping berths on ordinary and special trains havo been keen, accommodation was still available. Arrangements had been made for the addition of extra carriages on the expi'esses, and further additions would be made if necessary. Exceptionally heavy bookings had been received for accommodation on the Rotorua trains.