Consuming Interest

Tear-jerkers

By LESLIE ADRIAN

TEARS around the Christ- mas tree are not caused only by over-eating or

over-excitement. The howl that went up from one small boy of my ac- quaintance whose mon- ster from outer space would neither walk, stalk nor breath syn- thetic fire was horror enough for me on last Christmas morning. Trouble was, he had been canvassing Santa for his monster since bonfire night. But when his nightmarish dream toy arrived, Dad had for- gotten that it needed a battery !

No one will much resent the extra ninepence for the battery (for obvious reasons the makers do not put them into toys at the factory), but it would be a kindness to warn the purchaser that the, literally, flaming thing will not work without one. Yet a glance at the box in which the robot thing arrived showed that there was no warning about the power supply, and the shop assistant had evidently been too overcome by the general Christmas chaos to say some- thing about a battery while writing out a receipt for a pound or two of his customer's cash.

Happy ending to this story, luckily. Sorneone had the bright idea of robbing the transistor radio of its power pack—and it fitted. Not so happy, the little boy who went delirious with delight over a model aircraft assembly kit sup- plied by a colleague. The balsa-wood parts were much admired first thing on Christmas Day, but embarrassment broke out between turkey and teatime when a tight-lipped ten-year-old re- vealed privately to Dad, who passed it on more in sorrow than spite to revered colleague. that the sticky stuff (a special cement for fastening balsa) appeared to be missing from the box. The written instructions were unequivocal. The stuff was needed all right, but where to get it on Christmas Day in a one-horse Berkshire village? Puncture-patch solution, Seccotine and flour and water were not only not good enough—junior was embittered.

May I, then, recommend that buyers of work- ing models, assembly kits, or any movable, operational type of toy should check on bat- teries, transformers (for mains-operated toys), bulbs, screws (for assembly or picture-hanging or what not), tools (tragedy because of lack of star screwdriver haunts me yet), and even special foods for pets like tropical fish or hamsters. And the best of luck with chemistry sets!

Two thoughts following my Christmas shop- ping suggestions in past weeks. First, if you don't feel up to arranging your own flowers or are simply not very good at it, you may like to know that the Flower House at 130 Wigmore Street (WELbeck 2657) will not charge you for arrang- ing the flowers you buy in the vase you take into the shop and they'll deliver free in a radius of five miles, too.

Secondly, you might treat yourself to a visit to the Rosenthal Studio in Knightsbridge (oppo- site Harrods). Rosenthal china and glass are not cheap, but you should expect to pay for all the care that goes into the design and execution of their work. You'll find your own favourite piece or set, but, for Christmas, I would choose the beautiful madonna by Professor Hans Stangl, of Munich. A large version costs £10 13s. 6d. There are two smaller ones at £4 2s. 9d., one standing and one sitting. There are no features or details —it's all pure line—but the seated figure is one of the loveliest shapes I've ever seen and it looks like a madonna and child no matter from what angle you look at it.

If you're taking the children to London over the holidays you may like to know of a restaur- ant which is not expensive and which goes to some trouble to cater specifically 'for children.

Forte's 'Variety Fare' is halfway between Oxford Circus and the BBC in Upper Regent Street. Its menu covers babes in arms for whom you can have a 4 oz. jug of milk at any tempera- ture you want, three to fifteen months, fifteen months to two years, two to three, four to six and seven to twelve-year-olds. The three to fif- teen-month babies can have Heinz baby foods, the two to three-year-olds 'creamy egg and fluffy potatoes' and milky rice pudding, and the four to six-year-olds potatoes and hamburger. Try not to be put off by the names of the dishes for the seven to twelve-year-olds—Lone Ranger Broth, Chuck Wagon Fry, Rawhide Chow and Stockade Pie. They turn out to be, respectively, chicken soup, eggs and chips, sausage, potatoes and beans and apple pie. There's another menu for adults, you'll be glad to hear.

4.

If you are thinking of buying a washing machine (and there are plenty of good reasons why you might) I suggest- that you wait a bit before you actually spend any money.

We consumers are being treated to the satisfy- ing sight and sound of washing-machine manu- facturers, dealers and salesmen fighting like mad for our custom and all trying to find ways of reducing their prices. This all arises from the success of Mr. John Bloom in selling his Rolls Razor washing machines by direct-sales methods which avoid altogether the wholesaler and the retailer. When he recently joined up with the Pressed Steel Prestcold division the other manu- facturers got really worried and are now fight- ing back hard.

Mr. Bloom's best-selling washing machine costs 59 gns. His opponents, selling through whole- salers and shops, have to charge necessarily rather higher prices for their machines. Now they are all trying to cut prices: Hoover have a new machine for 65 gns., which they are adver- tising very extensively; Hotpoint are bringing out a new machine which will be around 60 gns. Acme of Glasgow are bringing out a machine for 57 gns. which will be sold not only by Acme but also through Great Universal Stores mail-order catalogues, GUS retail outlets and a large sales force. Brunlec are hoping to bring one out at 47 gns. and it is rumoured that an Italian companY is hoping to open up in Britain with one at some' thing under £50. The retailers, moreover, are thinking seriously of reducing prices by agreeing to take a cut in their profit margins, and a fight- ing fund of £100,000 is being set up to counteract the effects of Mr. Bloom's direct-sale methods.

All this is a slightly unedifying sight and the battle reached a point where an extraordinarY statement was issued by a firm of brokers wb° have twice recommended their clients to WV Rolls Razor shares. The statement was intended as 'an authoritative denial of all the adverse rumours affecting Rolls Razor' regarding its 'methods of trading, the quality of its products, its ability to meet its accounts and its general solvency. . Although it has nothing to do with Rolls Razor as an operating company. tfie fact ,that Mr. John Bloom, the managing direc- tor, has been mentioned in a recent court case and widely headlined may also have had Its effect.'

As I say, this doesn't reflect much credit °I3 trading ethics or methods and my point remains: hold on for a while. Let them fight it out be' tween themselves and, I estimate, by about January you should be able to choose frotp a range of washing machines at prices rathqr lower than they are now.

Not exactly how to live on nothing a Ye° this useful hint, but the possession of a Co-re share number can bring in a steady trickle .(,)1 wealth without your having to make any purchags at Co-op. shops. It's a bit like Bingo by reff1c4e control. Join, get a number and sit back. Soil' body, somewhere, is sure to give it as their OP sooner or later, or an assistant will get sont. one else's wrong in your favour. AnyWaY, ;a friend tells me that his number, which he fi,a5 not used since he left college, has brought 11°11 in about 10s. a year for some time.

'Well, I say underground car-parks be blolvej(