DENTURE FOR 1/

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 167, 17 July 1941, Page 5

DENTURE FOR 1/

BED FOR SIXPENCE

! FUN AT RAILWAY SALE

' A man acquired a fine set of artificial teeth for one shilling yesterday. His was the first—and only —bid at a sale of left luggage conducted by the Railways Departf ment. Another man came by a some- ; adult bedstead for 6d and complained because it had borer in it! et another enthusiast bought a dentist's chair and a dentist's sign, in huge, gold letters, for four shil-j ings the lot. He may have wanted to ' if home and smash it up into! > little pieces, deriving four shilling's worth of pleasure therefrom. Anpther man bought a bulky suitcase for 33/. He sneaked round a corner to gloat over its fabulous conents and found that it contained one irty shirt, a pair of gum boots with the soles worn through, a blanket i 3 the middle, a baby's Dottle with the teat missing, an outs ze in women's underwear and (this saved his tottering reason), a full bottle, of gin.

Suitcase Mysteries

There were plenty of sports at the' e . keen to buy anything that smacked of mystery. There were ozens of these suitcases, some with the possessions of somei ~" kn °wn careless traveller; some St. but sugger'ing cl ; hes, others 11 vV with obj.cts that could not; even be guessed at. j

bidding Wa i S no double about the thins? fro cases went at an ~ v " / to 35/. Maoris were eoorls , amon £ the crowd in the the mr H and the:v " were among Mam-Y , . enthusiastic bidders. A timbiv. Vv 't lose voice had a' ear<; , ■ !' invariably reached the! tin.' ai.K-t.iyneer above the ex-'

cited bidding, became the proud possessor of about three "swags" and a Imost promising suitcase. To the disiappointment of the crowd she did not open them there and then.

Another Maori, wno paid £1 for a fibre case, found that it contained a selection of good quality men's J clothing. He was so pleased about it that he immediately went back and bought an iron-bound trunk for 30/. He was not so lucky this time, for although it contained a \marvellous array of male and female clothing, and a blanket or two and a red and jblue dressing gown, the styles were of ancient vintage.

Novels Were Popular

i Cases of books sold well, but here! again the public were only told that! the boxes contained "books" or! | "novels." The latter seemed the more popular. For 5/ a -man purchased a of books that had ian old world air. The first two he |dragged out were "Pilgrim's Progress" and "The Path Of Prayer," and the third a book of sonnets by, I some unknown poet of the Victorian !era.

Prices obtained for some things were extraordinary, and others were amazingly low. A man's coat, for instance, advanced in rapid-fire bids to £2 15/; and it didn't look much of a coat at that. A huge cooking pot.i that would accommodate about naif! a sack of potatoes, went for 12/,! while a young man triumphantly! bought a parcel of beer barrel taps! for 2/6. Wheelbarrow wheels went for 1/ each, but a shovel brought 10/. Someone paid 4/ for a lady's side-saddle.

The remarkable carelessness of travellers was revealed in the number of rugs, umbrellas, hats, coats and golf clubs left in trains. There were mountains of books, [usually tied in bundles, and even such things as jewellery, pocket comi passes, rings and pieces of Imachinery. Somebody forgot about a' i oak dining room suite, and his w°" sold for less than £3, while [g; nraopho'ies went for about 10/ i each.

I A motor-cycle that had been over-; looked was sold for £8 10/, a huge' crosscut saw for 13/, and cases ofj crockery for a few pounds.

| But it was anything unknown in! a suitcase or a box that brought forth the reaLly brisk competition. Aueklanders are keen on taking a, chance.