SOUVENIR HUNTING

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 128, 3 June 1927, Page 3

SOUVENIR HUNTING

LOSSES AT CANBERRA

CHIPS TAKEN FROM HISTORIC CHAIR

Parliament House has had time now. to Hck its wounds after the battle of 9th May. Recently the staff has been engaged iv a stocktaking, -with the object of ascertaining how much the souvenir habit cost the nation in the few days of the festivities. Hundreds of flags and pennants disappeared from the streets. These were,taken often, in broad daylight. The hotels also suffered, but not to any great' extent—a few shillings would cover the entire losses. It waa Parliament House which had the worst experience, says the "Sydney bun. Crockery, stationery, books, desk furnishings, electric light fittings—anything which bore the coat of arms of the Commonwealth and quite a. lot o£ things which bore no impress' at all. lhe souvenir-hunter was not at all particular, and his motto was apparently "Take all." ' An astonished official caught a distinguished gentleman in the act of vanishing through a side door on the day; | ot the Royal reception bearing an office | wastepaper basket in his hands. In one | instance a woman was politely invitedI*° fetum cutlery. She complied without a blush. In o ther cases opportunity was given, for the return of cut-glass inkwells, several of which had disap. peared from the desks. Actually the guests must not be Warned entirely for the rush for souvenirs. ■(Notwithstanding the extraordinary precautions with which admission to Parliament House was supervised by police ** 4.v Gr! alß ot tUe Commonwealth and ot the Commission, many. unauthorised persons gamed entrance to. the buildinc probably through the kitchen door, which was unguarded. One immaculately clad gentleman, actually forced his way into.the Eoyal presence at the reception, his morning clothes probably staying any questions. It was not lon* before officials decided that he could not bo accounted for, and ho was removed—and not gently either. There is still a stream of sijrhtseerj pouring through Parliament: House, bnt the attendants are on,the watch to restrain them from vandalism of- an* sort. A favourite vulgarity is to be Photographed in the Speaker's Chai?, ™ f he f H, OUSe of with one's feet on the table. Mr. Waring Taylor who has the supervision of tho furmshmg of the House, caught a man some days before the ceremony in tho act of chipping a. piece of the historic | chair away with a penknife. His efforts I SSS mth a Mck "** -nt Owing to the fact that little of the Parliamentary crockery and silverware were use d, and that, for the most part, table equipment was borrowed from the hotels for the functions at Parliament house, it is proving difficult to reckon U p tlle losßeß until th(j hotels have sorted out their belone3f' ! m*yJe later investigations will show that tho losses are not so extensive, as was at first thought. The loss will bo entirely the Commission's, as the Parliamentary caterer had not taken over from the ■ Commission un« til after the functions.' .'