THE SCRAP HEAP.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 39, 26 November 1940, Page 4

THE SCRAP HEAP.

ASHBURTON’S MOTLEY COLLECTION. THE PATRIOTIC DRIVE. Never has there been such an accumulation of scrap metals and bottles at one time in Ashburton as that which has been dumped in the Borough Council’s yard in Havelock Street as a result of the highly-successful drive which the schoolboys of the Ashburton schools carried out last Friday and Saturday, in aid of the patriotic funds.

Viewed to-day, when sorting had just started and there was still some further contributions to come from some of the school dumps, the yard presented a strange and even amusing appearance. Metals of all kinds were jostling in huge heaps and the full catalogue of the different, types of metals would be a very long one. Unfortunately, some people apparently were under the impression that any kind of metal would be acceptable and the result was that scores of articles not required have been sent to the dump. Among these are hundreds of tobacco, cigarette, jam and meat tins that cannot he made use of for the w-ar effort, iron bars and utensils, tin kettles, bicycle frames, motor car plates and old lawn mowers.

From the amount- of metal of this class received it appears that some householders took advantage of the collection to clean out their backyards, and they presented the boys with -wornout hot water bottles, air cushions, broken toys and other miscellany that should have gone into the rubbish tins. Nevertheless, the drive should be the means of' bringing a very large sum into the patriotic fund and the hoys will be congratulated on their fine, effort. Aluminium pots, pans and kettles, brass preserving pans, brass rods, lead piping and scores of articles of these metals are heaped up in the Council’s yard. There are old band instruments, brass and copper vases and flower bowls and two aluminium pistons for a car engine, brand new, were thrown in by someone who evidently did not appreciate their worth.

Then, as for bottles, it is going to take a long time to sort these -contributions. Bottles that have held practically everything a bottle can hold are among the heaps, and it was estimated this morning that there are at least 5000 bottles on view. The collection will be sorted and sold to the best advantage.