CHRISTMAS SHOPPING.

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19765, 21 December 1935, Page 6

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING.

RUSH IN HAMILTON. RECORD TURNOVER LIKELY. .RETAILERS GRATIFIED. The ardour of Christmas shoppers N was ,ln no wise dampened by the heavy rain which fell for over an hour just .prior to the peak hour in Hamilton'last evening. There was a dense crowd In Victoria Street and with every shop packed, a record turnover on the part of retailers was expected. Even at the early hour of 7 o’clock Victoria Street bore a congested appearance. There was no parking space between Ward Street and Victoria Street and as the'evening wore on It became Increasingly difficult to enter any of the larger shops or department stores on account of the throng outside the entrances. Children were everywhere apparent clutching a myriad of gay balloons or hanging manfully on to parents’ arms already laden high with bulky and interesting paroels. At some periods traffic in the main street was almost at a standstill and the slightest hold-up meant a long line of cars being brought to a stop, Overhead, strings of coloured lights added a gay touch of festivity to the occasion. "The crowd was a record and the turnover was the best for some years," commented the principal Qf one Victoria Street store this morning. "There was no respite for the shop assistants from 7 o’clock onwards and the store was packed to the doors with shoppers. Unlike previous years it was fortunate that the majority of purchasers seejned settled on their requirements and did not appear to waste so much time as usual In selecting gifts." “A record In every way," was the comment of another retailer as he watched the crowd jostling for the counters. Last year had been better than 1933 and 1933 an improvement on 1932 but 1935 promised to set pre-depression records. An early estimate of the firm’s turnover showed a considerable advance on the corresponding day last year. “We have been working at high pressure throughout this week and our returns are far and away greater than those of last year. In fact there is no doubt that business this week is better than has been the case for many years,” commented the proprietor of a mercery business.