AUCTIONEER DISPLAYS ENERGY AT CAR SALE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 405, 13 July 1928, Page 13

AUCTIONEER DISPLAYS ENERGY AT CAR SALE

UNENTHIiSIASTIC BUYERS SOME IN HUMOROUS VEIN It was an apathetic crowd which heard an energetic auctioneer extolling the merits of motor-cars and trucks at a sale in the city today. There were salesmen present, bargain seekers, purchasers of business stock and a large percentage of casual onlookers. Most interest was aroused over light cars, but there were sceptical glances at the more cumbersome and antiquated machines. Over 90 cars and trucks were listed. 1 hey were grouped around the saleroom—luxurious limousines, rattlv runabouts, cars of doubtful age cars with histories. Spectators clustered around a 9-seater French machine which cost £ 1,000 to land in New Zealand A smart English machine, lor which the bidding fell short of the reserve, was described by the auctioneer as “easily the smartest twoseater in Auckland.” FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE “They say this car is in good running order—l don’t think it is. You take it for better or for worse, like a wife or a husband/’ rattled off the auctioneer, when the first offer came up. Someone took the car for better or for worse, at £IS. £ls” called a humorist when a En Slish cart came forward. “You don’t mean it, do you?” queried the auctioneer. “Why, you’re not safe to be in the crowd.” The car brought a price 17 times the opening bid. After one or two passings, the crowd lost most of its humour and the auctioneer’s task was not made easier. “Bring something along worth £1,000,” he said wearily after an especially dispiriting period. “This crowd wants something good.” ’lf you don’t want this as a car, you ve got a wonderful launch engine,” he advised, when an unwieldy and dusty machine was offered. “Cat-calls” came from several of the crowd. “That starts it,” declared the auctioneer, when a young man ventured a bid of £5. “Oh, no, no!” protested the bidder. CAR FRIGHT “No battery, no reserve,” chanted the auctioneer when another ancient car came up. “What are you all frightened of?” “The car,” chorused several emphatically. One man who was not frightened secured the car with a £l2 bid. Certainly, the present demand in cars trends toward light machines. There was not the expected interest at the sale.