SOMEONE'S LOSS

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 19, 22 July 1932, Page 9

SOMEONE'S LOSS

SOMEONE ELSES GAIN

SALE OF LOST PROPERTY

In the coui-se of a yearan extraordinarily, miscellaneous collection of goods falls into the hands of, the PoliceNDepartment. Much of it .consists of articles which- have been, fouid1 either by constables or; by' honest, folk who, failing ,to find the; rightful owner;" have, taken them' to the police. In all caaes! every effort is made, by the police'to find the o_wners, but success. -Is ■ not always attained,' and- the collection grows. It grows so fast that it is necessary to. hold . a sale periodically to clear out surplus stocks and to make room for more. ..One of theso sales took place on Wednesday afternoon, and, as' usual, attracted a large number of people. • The right auctioneer in sales like these is everything,, and when he knows nis job, as he obviously did in this case, little is left unsold," and": the Police Department's receipts are materially increased. .■.','■'.

Firearms, confiscated perliaps from juveniles and others, were, quickly dig. posed of, at prices ranging :fronv five shillings for an ancient percussion-cap blunderbuss (which' looked as if it might1 have, done, service in the' socalled good old days when' highwaymen roamed the countryside) to twenty-five shillings for more modern, rifles and guns; air of which- tho new^ .owners must register. Airguns brought a few shillings each... . /--.-,

How some of the miscellaneous r goods ever-.came to be lost was' a mystery which did' not' trouble auctioneer;" qr buyer. A case of-assorted lenses, for instance,.found,,a new owner for, eighteenpence, and a budding Galileo was set up for life. Bicycles, soirie'good, some .which had* ; soen~ better days, and some; apparently fit only .for. the scrap: heap, - were ' eagerly; sougth after, and there was no lack of bids for • tins of cigarettes; chocolates, tools/, torches, patent medicines; spectacles,: tins of petrol and oil; and a hundred ; and-one other things;: There were, too1,: bags and suitcases-in plenty,- and clothing- (large-, ly ladies') in all fashions and vp'f -all -ages.- :'■ -■/■ -■ - ..'.'." -j- .s^i.-v:-"\.:..;i.i

-.. The.resultiis. now that many-people who cannot/afford in these days to do much shopping have acquired for" a song. something tHat will, be nseful to them; others have-acquired-something that will be of no nise; at all, but they have had-the fun of-bidding in an auction room;, and the Police Department has acquired a' little welcome cashr and made room for a further- quantity; of things that people,.as long as -human nature is wiat it is, s^ill inevitably lose jbetw.een no# and n^slT July;." v —/.-':.'■