RECORD TRADE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22922, 28 December 1937, Page 6

RECORD TRADE

CHRISTMAS IN SYDNEY \ NOTE ISSUE ADVANCED CONSUMPTION OF GOODS [from our own correspondent] SYDNEY, Dec. *_>3 Christmas, 1937, has broken all records. Spending has been at least equal to the last of the. Pre-depression years, 1929, and the subsequent increase in population makes it certain that the 19:37 volume of seasonal trade exceeds all others. Traders have sure signs of knowing that previous records have been broken. The note issue, previously increasd by £3,250,000 for Christmas shopping, was advanced by another £1,000,000 this week, as compared with last year's new note issue of £3,500,000. The Ko.val, Mint worked overtime without fully meeting the demand for silver and copper. Each day this week it was estimated, £1,250,000 was spent in Sydney shops. Four hundred thousand families spent, on an average, 6s more on Christmas dinner than they did last year, and 800,000 head of poultry will be consumed on Christmas Day—double that of 1936.

Sales of champagne set a new record, and sales of beer and wine exceed all pre-depression figures. About £60.000 in 3d and 6d pieces has been placed in Christmas puddings eaten in Sydney homes. Pastrycooks estimated that they had made 150,000 puddings and 200.000 plum cakes. Another 200.000 tinned cakes and puddings were sold by the shops. "In every direction, the tourist trade is a record," said Mr. H. Lamble, director of the Government Tourist Bureau. "Many of the resorts have been booked out for some weeks. Whole resorts, not individual boarding houses, will be able to put up the 'house-full' sign over the holidays." Six hundred special-*trains will carry 250,000 people to and from country and seaside resorts, and 200,00 motorists will spend £150,000 on petrol, tyres and camping accessories. Managers of oil companies said they were supplying garages with 500.000 extra gallons of petrol, which would carryiimo&grjsts another 10,000,000 miles, as compared with the usual week-end figures.