CITY RETURNS TO NORMAL ONCE MORE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19269, 5 January 1931, Page 8

CITY RETURNS TO NORMAL ONCE MORE

OFFICES AND SHOPS OPEN AGAIN AFTER HOLIDAYS.

With sunburned backs, and faces the colour of new bricks, the people of Christchurch this morning dragged themselves back to work. After the fortnight of freedom, the office steps did not look inviting, but the New Year’s load of resolutions included one about more hard work, so they just set their teeth and got on with it. The strongest New Year reso'v.tions, however, could not dispel entirely the Christmas op’rit. Sunburn was not the cnly sign ot Chris anas. There were new pipes, and gleaming ties, and a stock of reminiscences. The shops look forward to a fairly s'ack week after the rush of the holidays. The burst of by ving appears to cany people over for some time, and shopkeepers are resigned to slack trade for a bit. “ It will be a dead week for us,” said a tobacconist this morning. “ The Christmas stock of cigarettes holds out generally over this week. We made up for it the week before last, though,” he added with a smile. 1 he holidays are net yet over, however as a look at the trams for the beaches will urcyt,. The sunny day proved a temptation, hut on the trams oduits wete less numerous than they were last week. Most of the offices are open again, and have settled down to the usual bury routine foi another year. The legal offices and some factories are rt.ll closed, but the end of this week wifi see the holid ty season over, and most people back at work This morning the city had a business-uke air about it, a contrast to tne holiday atmosphere Inch has reigned for the past two weeks. The free days with nothing to do are past for another year, and the rule of nine to five is in again.