UMBRELLAS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 509, 12 November 1928, Page 1

UMBRELLAS

Hundreds of Careless Owners TRAMWAY AUCTION “Mention the word "umbrella’' to a tramway man and he will not show any pleasure. This, because tram passengers have an unfortu nate habit of leaving umbrellas behind them. They leave other things, too, as was evident this morning when a city auctioneer was disposing of tramway left luggage. , . Several hundred buyers crowded into the auction rooms, for the sale, which was practically a drab succession of umbrellas. Umbrellas were everywhere They were packed in huge bundles several feet deep—hundreds of them. , . The auctioneer sold them in lots of a half-dozen each. Some really good assortments went for a few shillings. Buxom matrons and bargain-seeking old men bore their purchases away with obvious triumph. Sound tennis racquets of excellent make had been left in tramcars by several people. They were snapped up eagerly for prices as low as seven shillings. “Bathing costumes, two towels, trunks and etceteras,” remarked the auctioneer’s assistant, as he unearthed an ancient parcel. An elderly woman pressed through the throng and bought the lot for Is 6d. Men’s walking sticks, schoolbags, school caps, overcoats, baskets, brief bags, lunch bags and a surprising miscellany of clothing were all the objects of keen interest from the crowd of buyers. After an hour’s auction, the public had not tired of buying the prolific supply of umbrellas. With summer practically begun, the capacity of the crowd for umbrella speculation was I surprising.