UNCLAIMED PROPERTY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9682, 5 January 1910, Page 5

UNCLAIMED PROPERTY.

i - , , | HOW IT IS DEALT WITH.

Among the multitudinous duties of the police, that relating to the care and attention of "missing articles" requires a great deal more investigation than is generally thought. The most searching enquiry has to be made concerning every article no matter how trivial and if possible the property is restored" to the rightful owner. The question that naturally arises is what becomes of unclaimed goods. A Wairarapa Age reporter, who i happened to stroll into the local police station the other day, found himself in the fortunate position of being able to gain a little insight into the nature and extent of "unclaimed missing articles," so far as it concerned Masterton. Sergeant Miller was in the act of making out and labelling the list of property, which he explained to the reporter was done at the end of every year, so that arrangements could be made for its disposal by auction. On the office floor lay a strange collection —two ladies' furs, a buggy whip, a brown paper parcel of ribbon, a small black purse, a dark overcoat, a carefully wrapped up small box, a handbag, and a delapidated swag. The history ed to each article would certainly have been a curious one, but the vis*' itor confined himself to a query regarding the handbag. It was plainly labelled "William Beale, Wellington," but it appeared that enquiries made had failed to locate the owner. Inside the bag were brushes, soap and a miscellaneous collection of travelling requisites, and it seemed not a little curious that with this definite information, the owner's whereabouts remained shrouded in mystery. It is worthy of mention that the local . police handled and traced the ownership,, during the past■•■ twelve months, «f some 85 articles/ which it must be admitted is a most creditable performances ""■'■' - ■