UNWANTED BUSES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1002, 19 June 1930, Page 12

UNWANTED BUSES

AUCTIONEER’S HARO TASK FEW SOLD PRIVATELY Twenty Fisher buses, the property j of the Auckland City Council, which | were acquired from private companies | a few years ago, were offered for aucj tion at a sale at the Gaunt Street i depot today. In spite of the enthusi- ‘ astic services of a keen auctioneer ; who pleaded for reasonable bids. nor. one bus was “knocked down,” although j a few were sold later privately. | The fair attendance present was a : mixed one, made up of many who had I no doubt dropped in out of sheer curiosity and their weak humour and cross-talk with the auctioneer made ; the job of the man with the hammer ; a difficult one. | In a short address before the aue- | tion, it was explained that owing to j the various extensions in the tram | routes the Transport Board had no | further use for the buses, which were ■ all claimed to be in first-class order. ! Each vehicle had seating capacity for I 21 passengers, while the majority of i the tyres were practically new. The | running gear and bodies were m ! good order and many of the buses . were fitted with four speed gear-boxes, j Representatives of the Transport | Board were present and reserved the I right to bid. | The first bus put up was one of the | best in the line, and the suggestion | of the auctioneer for a bid of £3OO brought loud laughter. Eventually came a bid for £IOO and in small sums it rose to £l3O, but went no further and the sale was held over. The best offer for the next bus was £IOO and that was also held over, while the next started at £4O and went to £45, but that did not satisfy the sellers. “It’s beating the air to think that you can get them at that price,” said the auctioneer rather despairingly. “I’m sorry we can’t sell them to you oil time, payment.” To add a little colour to the scene and to convince those present that the buses would actually go, the next one offered was started up and driven along the drive. An endeavour to start it off at £175 failed miserably and after a considerable amount of pleading a bid came for £ 55, whicli went up to £65. “Looks as though you’ve all got the wind up since we ; lost Segrave,” commented the auc- ! tioneer as the engine roared out to • transport the bus back into line. “Well, gentlemen, we have had an offer to let 12 of the buses go and ac much better prices than you are offering, so there you are. Your prices are foolish and I think you are foolish to miss an opportunity like this,” said the auctioneer. These remarks met with cries of disapproval and —“Well, ! why don't you let them go? What | do you want an auction for?—” j “Because we want to give the pub- | lie a chance. We are public benefactors ; that’s our job.” For the next bus a bid of £3O came j and this met with a general ripple of laughter. I “My friend here who made that bid I has conceived the idea of a movable j tomato-growing- house, but that’s all j he is prepared to pay for it,” said the auctioneer.

“And how long have I been a friend of yours?” said the bidder.