AUSTRALIANS WELCOME CHRISTMAS; BURST OF SHOPPING; EXCURSIONS
SYDNEY, Dec. 23.—For the first time since the war, Australia faces a Christmas holiday period unshadowed by transport and power rationing. The Northern New South Wales miners are already on holiday, and men of the southern fields go on leave tomorrow; but have ensured ample supplies of coal to last until their return on January 16. Yesterday over 100,000 people left Sydney alone by train, aeroplane, and bus. Their absence was unremarked, as over half a million people stormed the shopping centres in a record burst of Christmas buying. All holiday resorts within 200 miles of Sydney have been booked out for months, and most people are prepared fo go wherever they can be guaranteed a bed. Accommodation in Sydney itself is so hard to get that many travellers are boarding ships a few days early and spending Christmas in port. Others who have been forced to leave hotels have signed on as technical travellers in order to use shipboard accommodation. A number of coastal ships cannot obtain crews, as the seamen wish to spend Christmas at home.
The Sydney General Post Office reports that the mail has broken all records, up to 4,250,000 articles a day being handled. Overseas telephone calls are also a record. The Post Office has booked up practically every minute of time between now and December 28 for people wanting to speak to friends and relatives in the British Isles, America, Europe and New Zealand
A new spending record has been established, with the note issue so far this month increased by £18,250,000. The Commonwealth Bank reports the note issue up to yesterday as being £4,500,000 greater than at the same time last year.
The spending spree is expected to reach its peak today, with over £3,000,000. The only serious shortage this Christmas is bottled beer, which for some unfathomable reason is scarcer than ever. Brewers say the shortage is due to lack of bottles, but the glass-blowers say the breweries did not lake botties for three months this year when they were available
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Wanganui Chronicle, 24 December 1949, Page 7
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346AUSTRALIANS WELCOME CHRISTMAS; BURST OF SHOPPING; EXCURSIONS Wanganui Chronicle, 24 December 1949, Page 7
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