WILTSHIRE SALVAGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 June 1922, Page 2

WILTSHIRE SALVAGE

GOOD PRICES REALISED. There was some keen,bidding on Monday, when a quantity of goods forming a portion of the cargo from the Wiltshire, washed up on Kaitoke beach, was offered at auction, and, while a number of bargains were secured by a few lucky purchasers, the prices realised on the whole were beyond expectations. The goods offered consisted mainly of oils and varnishes, and all were sold without reserve, buyers, however, being required to pay wharfage at the rate of 2s 6d per ton, while Customs officers were present to assess and collect duty on the articles. No cigarettes or tobacco were sold, as it was announced that buyers of such goods would be required to pay the full duty on the invoice prices. These goods were therefore withdrawn, and it is understood that the owners will recondition them

and dispose of them through ordinary channels. A case consigned to a bank manager in the South Island was a source of considerable speculation, and it was not until it was opened and the zinc lining ripped off the contents that it was seen that the banker had imported twenty-four half-gallon bottles of “stone ginger essence.” This liquid is subject to a duty of 32s per gallon, and was knocked down at Ils per bottle. A canteen of good quality cutlery caught the attention of some keen buyers, and when the price had been run up to £7, there was a dispute as to who had made the last bid, and the auctioneer decided to put the case up for sale again. The price eventually paid was £27, and when the owner opened up his prize he found/that the oak case had literally fallen to pieces as the result of an immersion in the sea, but most of the contents were in good order. The table knives were of the stainless variety, and the silver only slightly discoloured, but the carvers were badly rusted. There were several cases chloroform, but buyers fought shy of this at first, fearing that the glass containers might not be in good order, and the crowd in consequence gave the spirit a wide berth. On being opened up, however, it was found that the anaesthetic was in small bottles, and these sold at 1 from Is to 2s 6d each.