DEALING IN MILLIONS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17812, 11 July 1923, Page 6

DEALING IN MILLIONS.

A WELCOME WEEK COMEDY. Amongst all the fun and frolie at the Welcome Week Carnival at Wellington on Saturday n}ght nothing, caused more genuine amjusement than >the display made by Messrs Vine and Wilson, who at each shop during the procession, promptly auctioned the particular building they happened to be opposite (says the "Dopiinion"). A start was made with Parliament Buildings, which was offered as a going concern because Mr Massey was leaving for the Imperial Conference. A bid was promptly forthcoming from "Harry Holland," but this gentleman was at once outbid by "Tom Wil•ford," who secured the lot, with Bellamy's thrown in, for one and a-half millions sterling. The Midland Hotel was sold to Mr J. Dwyer for £75,000, a condition of the sale being that free "spots" should be supplied on Monday. The "New Zealand Times" was knocked down to the Hon. W. J. Geddis for £50,000; the "Dominion" to Mr C. W. Earle for £.100,000; and the "Post" to Blundell Brothers for £ 75,000. By this time,' the crowd had entered into the spirit of the joke, and the."' bidding was very spirited, many ladies recklessly offering bids of £25,000. The Bank of New Zealand went to Sir George Elliott for five and a-half millions; the Royal Oak Hotel to Mr Sam Gilmer for £7:;,000. and eventually the Post Office, with all deposits thrown in, was knock 1 '! down to Mr A. Markman, the new Secretary of the Department, for one and a-half millions. The privilege of being per mitted to dabble in high finance, "if only for a fleeting few minutes,. was highly relished by the crowd.