JUMBLE SALES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9214, 18 April 1908, Page 3

JUMBLE SALES.

Municipal Bargains for Germans. Every German city has home rule, or what amounts to home rule. It can engage in almost any enterprise under the sun which is lawful without permission or hindrance from any central authority. It can buy land, run a theatre, music ! hall, a cafe, or 'even a pawnshop ; frame its own laws for the relief of the poor ; provide allotments; plan out its unoccupied sites, etc., without the necessity of appealing to any local government board. Municipal trading in Germany, so far from being regarded as a bogey begotten of Socialism, is the pet hobby of all classes, and the central Government, instead of hindering, is constantly helping on the municipalities to fresh enterprises. One condition, and only one, is impo S9 d — the city tax must not exceed 100 per cent of that levied by the State without special permission, a permission readily granted whenever good cause can Ye shown. Using this freedom, some cities — though not many as yet — are running " jumble sales." UNCONSIDERED TRIFLES. Their objects as stated in the oldest of these institutions in Berlin, is "to bridge over the gulf which at present divides the " haves " from the " havenots." A large order; and, of course, only exeouted in a very limited way. But what is done is done effectually, and with great benefit to tho " havenots." It is really the utilisation of what would otherwise be wasted. The German name for it is Brockensaminlung (literally, a collection of scraps or fragments) ; it is therefore an attempt to gather up the fragments that, nothing be lost. To accomplish this circulars are sent out to all the " haves " asking for contributions, not in money, but in kind, the kind being cast-off clothing, furniture, books, knick-knacks; in fact, any sort of lumber that can be put into a jumble sale — any article which, though useless to its present owners, may be made useful to their poorer neighbours. These are collected by the Society — respectable out-of-works being employed in the collection. The response given to this appeal may be judged from the fact that two waggon-loads of goods are brought daily to the depot of the Berlin Society.

FROM CARPETS TO COLLARS. But the wonder is not so much in the number as in the variety. The " old curiosity shop" would make a poor show in comparison. The storerooms seem to contain almost everything that could ever enter a house — old boots, timepieces, portmanteaux, . statuary, lamps, chairs, tables, bedsteads and bedding, books, ornaments, pictures., clothing, thermometers and barometers, skin rugs, bronze goblets, locks, carpets, collars and hats for both men. and women. These are carefully classified and stored in different rooms. The Berlin depot has on the basement a large covered yard for the furniture ; on the upper storeys one room for men's clothing and requisites, another for women's, including kitchen utensi^ etc., and a third large room for books and pictures. The Berlin Society does no repairs, but in most of the others tailors, shoemakers, dressmakers, carpenters and handy men, capable of dealing with clocks, locks and metal ware, are chosen from the respectable out-of-woi'ks and employed at a fair wage to repair dilapidations. FIXED PRICES, So much for the " Jumble " ; what about the "Sale." The Brockensamnilung in Berlin holds its sales daily from 8 a.m. till noon and from 1 p.m. till 7 p.m ; in moet of the others they are only weekly or bi-weekly — in Stuttgart oniy monthly. Articles are Bold, not by auction, but at fixed prices, which in most cases are rigidly adhered to. Indeed, the prices are so low that often it would be impossible to abate without actually giving away. This would defeat the object of the promoters. Let a man pay for what fie gets — h/QWOTOT email tn© price — and he

saves his self-respect. This is the idea underlying the whole of this work. At the same time, the object being the direct benefit of the poorest of the poor, prices are fixed far below value.