BAG OF SOVEREIGNS

Hokitika Guardian, 8 March 1932, Page 7

BAG OF SOVEREIGNS

FOUND IN EGG-BOX. RETURNED TO THE OWNER. AUCKLAND March 7. Doubts that the story of the goost that laid golden eggs is only a fain tale were raised in the minds of some employees at a local egg depot when a lad of 15 years discovered, in one oi the egg boxes, a small suede leathei bag containing £2B in sovereigns and haF-sovereigns. The “goose” was foun c . to be a Newton grocer, who has had lib “nest-egg” returned to him. The egg depot conducts a large business in supplying shops, among them ; 1 grocer in Newton. In the customary way the eggs are sent out ill boxes and the boxes are returned to the depot td be packed hgaih : Most pedpls nowadays collect sovereigns—when they happen to' get anyaild the gi'ocer had been rather fortunate. The gold coins which occas ifinally were paid him in the course ci business he retained, Slowl.v the number increased, until last week the litth bag which he carried in his pocket wasworth £2B at par, but considerable more at present. Finding the bag rathe l heavy to carry in his pocket lie slipper it into the corner of a box under the counter, intending.to pick it up later When the grocer went to get his bag of gold lie found neither money nor box. The loss was bad enough, and its disappearance puzzling, but the grocer was .mostly concerned about one half-sover-eign, which his wife had carefully wrapped in silver paper and given him to guard. A friend, as frequently happens, had “crossed the palm” of the baby, by placing in its band a halfsovereign. The coin therefore had a sentimental value. Hess than a mile away a lad in an egg depot was busy packing eggs in boxes ns be picked them off the grading machine. The boxes contain cardboard layers, and the lad, removing one o' tile la.ver.s, saw a small bag in a corner To his surprise, it contaiend gol c ] sovereigns, the first lie had sfcen. He took the money to the office, but the difficul ty was to know from which shop the egg box had been returned. An advertisement was"inserted in the “Star,” and the following day the grocer had bis bag of gold returned. It is only necessary to add that he did not forget the lad at the egg depot.