A RUSH FOR BOOKS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1529, 27 August 1912, Page 2

A RUSH FOR BOOKS.

LOWER COURT. ' ; (Before Mi'. W. G. Kitltlcll, S.M.)

» MESSRS. WHITCOMBE AND TOMBS'S HRE SALE. "Remember first to possess his books. , . Burn but liis Bonks."—"Tempest." The above quotation had a direct application to tho books saved from the recent firo at Messrs. Whitcombe and Tombs's warehouse, which were offered to the public yesterday "at startling reductions." All the world lovos a good book—especially when they espy a ohaneo of getting it under tho standard nrorkot price—and all the world seemed to have gathered outv side the big store in Lower Featherston Street at 10 a.m. yesterday, to participate in the sale. "Remember first to possess his books" was the feeling which everyone was imbued, and when the big double doors opened there was a rush that would have put the "All Blue" League team in tho shade. When several hundred people had janibed themselves between the bookladen tables, an attempt was mado to stem the inrush by closing tho doors.. Tho fear of being shut out of the first contingent excited those nearest tho door, and there ensued a wild scene. When women will fight to get forward to a crowd as densely packed as raisins in a box, they must lose their dignity, and when men in the same crowd insist on "not being left," matters are indeed exciting. After tho first rush the crowd, who wero shut out waited patiently enough for over half nn hour, and then wero admitted in sections. The scene inside was distinctly interesting. ■ Down, one side of the big roorh printing machines proceeded about their business in the usual manner, wheels revolved, and belts whirled round as if the rest of tho room. wrfs not packed with a crowd suffering acutely from bookferer. How they hunted, and ransacked the regiments of books —fiction, biographies, scientific works, school books, business guides, hymn books, and Bibles, children's picture-books, and others for grownups. In their haste to get what thej wanted—and in doing so as often as no! got what they did not want—they shoved and jostled, and trod on one another's toes in a delightfully unfeeling manner Men and women were seen staggering roum with great piles of books, frightened t( leave any one.of their "finds" onywhen for a moment. Downstairs was tho book-market, am upstairs the stationery bureau, where an other hungry crowd bought ledgers, - ac count books," writing-pads, envelopes, etc. singed and smoked in somo cases—ir others <rruite all right. For sonic time yesterday morning a difficulty was experienced in obtaining an exH for the crowd, and finally Messrs. Turnbull and Co. allowed the out-going crowl to pass through the firm's store into Customhouse Quay. Prior to that men and women were making their way out of a side-door into the yard, and'from there climbed into Featherston Street over a dilapidated corrugated iron fence. The sale was crowded throughout the day. ,