LOST ON THE TRAMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1077, 16 March 1911, Page 9

LOST ON THE TRAMS.

TOWN HALL AUCTION. EAEGAIN HUNTERS AND HUMOUB. "The only out and out genuine b.irgain sale of the year. . . . Tbo contlilions are cash on the fall of the hammer." The speaker was Mr. .la?. Doyle, of the City Council staff, who stood in the midst of a miscellaneous collection of old clothes, bags, umbrella?, , lunch baskets, etc., which littered the stage of the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall yesterday afternoon. For the time Mr. Doyle was the city's auctioneer, and the audience which he addressed ."consisted mostly of women, who had been drawn by the promise of bargains at■the sals of.luggage which had been left in the tramcars dur.ing the past twelve months, and had not been claimed. The collection comprised some 200 ladies' umbrellas, 50 odd ladies' purses and handbags, 30 or 40 string bags, and a dozen or two dress. and picnic baskets. . There was.also a miscellaneous collection of ladies' underclothing and jackets. Male forgetfulness ran mostly to brief bags, containing bathing outfits, pieces of wire-netting, zinc, and such like goods common to the family man. A few men's umbrellas also found a place on the list, but they nearly all bore signs of a long and useful career.: Boots, a music stand, walking ■ sticks, books enough to stock a small library, a linen blind, spectacles,' brooches, and a gold bangle also figured. "An umbrella! How much for this?" asked the- auctioneer as ho gazed admiringly on a lady's sunshade. "Ono shilling" piped a thin female treblo, and the auctioneer took tho bid with an assumed show of reluctance. The bidding rose to Is. 6d., and tho umbrella was knocked down at that price, a male competitor who 'offered 2s. being informed that lie. was too slow with his bid. "I don't care 'tuppence,"" , added the aue-" tioneer, "you must bid quick.". Bidding was fast and furious for .the..next offerings,, all classes of umbrellas going for from Is. to 2s. "Who'd bo without an. umbrella. One and threepence! It's yours! Here's another, Is.! Take it!" so ran the dialogue, and spectators rapidly became owners of umbrellas, one. lady buying in a" stack which almost obscured her view of the stage. As the bidding eased off the umbrellas were put up in pairs, the general price being 2s. or 2s. Gd. In threes the price still ruled about tho same, but the climax was reached when half a dozen were knocked down for Is.. Three ladies' handbags was the next offering. "Here you are," said the generous auctioneer, "they are yonvs for a shilling," and the shilling was paid over promptly. A complaint was lodged at this stogo that the goods were not being shown round. "At any other auction sale they havo one man, and can hand tho stuff round," grumbled the complainant. "You've got three men here," he added, "but T suppose they've all got Government billets." "The ratepayers are gettin annoyed! came a jovial voice from tho midst of the crowd. ' „ What was termed "a horrible soenhee of purses was the next relay. Half a dozen more or less presentable-looking purses left the auctioneer's hands in return for 1?. 6d., and the transaction was repeated several times. , "How is it all these purses happen to be empty?" asked one of. the anmenoe, and echo answered "How?". "It ought, to be gono into, anyhow," urged the quesPicnic baskets and dross baskets were sold three for a Is., and bundles o clothing, books, boots, etc., were knocked down for next to nothing.. It was a good day for the bargain-lmnter. but the prices paid the city amply for- storage.