ONLY AVAILABLE FRESH MEAT

Chronicle (Levin), 2 May 1946, Page 5

ONLY AVAILABLE FRESH MEAT

Siici'ial Atmt raliiui Correspondent.)

l{cci>i\ ed Wcdncsdtiv, 7.10 p.m. SYDXKY, May 1. Tlir> disappoaraiU'C of ull beef and Ti iitlrm t'rom Sydncy retnil shops draws jiUiMiiiDii to t In; 1'act that sonicthing v. liii-li u as for iiiany years ;i pest, lias imiv. iH'couK1 a blessing. Rabbit carcases iiii- appcaring in large quantities in -\ ci'v pro\ ision men-liant \s window. l'..r ihe groat bulk of the Sydncy population, raldiits will provide the only I'o-sli liiciit olilainaldc until the sliiko i- -i-ttlcd -unl ihe slaugliterhouses are v.'o king again. A survey of provisions available indi- • r'l-d tliat llumgh at present poultry snpplies are adeipiate, thev are not iri('■iiaiislihle and the price is genorally t ' t i i i g 1 1 to mahe fowls a staple iteni of iii. The llsli supplv in Sydney has i i- it met reipii rements. Many typos of -u!d would not l»e eousidered edible ii \i'w Zealand and New Zealand blue and llounders always feteh highest ]o': ■•i-s. Siin-c the strike begau most ot iiii- (ishmongers seeni to iinisli their i!ay'- work early in ihe morning. The only apparently inexhaustible -uaiee of fresh food at the inoment is inid'it. Duriug past years when the As.'ne of the skins and bounties paid v. ihe chief attraetion to rabbiters, ea : i-ases provod a drug oii tlie market. pri-dng lirins took over canning in.'i dist ribut-ion and when meat rationin_ uas j nt rodm-ed. i|iiantities of frozen i :i • t 't careases wero available for home i -omption. la t lie lirst six months of last vear, (■; : ■ :tses valued at £71,000 went over-se-i-. Fnr smne time it has been poss; 1 ■!•» to buv quick frozen rabbit ear-cii-e- prepared by the latest Americau iii.-'lnid and seaied in airtight eontain- (■!■- al a cost of under two shillings. l ar- ed eooked rabbit is also becoming juifi; : ia r, purtieularly with sonie restaurati*- v. ho>e chicken salad is open to sr > ioii. The sudden advanee in the ino- -Manee of the rabbit has come, ai.'Hi* ehiefly because of a striking wartiine rise in ihe value of the skins. In ]!• :'. "i.dOO.OOO 1 1 >s. weight of skins v a ' ■ , t ■ d at £."n 1,000 was exported. Last ves i'ie export hgtire reached a record t>v ..f 1 i?.r>o0,000 lbs. weight valued at £t/; l.oi's. Tt will be noted that'though Ihe i.iiantity exported was seareelv nr. -hau doubled, the value increase-1 ciu'rfold. The biggest buycr is the I'r '•-•il States. Local eonsumpation aet- ii ■ . ; i t ~ for n early 1,000,000,000 rabbits fu ■ a ! i v. t L o skins of whieh keep ten Au- ' :rt lian fnr felt hat factories in proh: - '.u. I'nder these conditions, with 1b.- -i.ins bringing 7s a lb. and ear'cases i 1 u pair, rabbiting is booniing. T -■ Moree Kreezing Works reports th:.' I n four months it has received rabbits sent in by 40 trappers in ti..- -ality, which means that the avern l ■ - .-arnitigs of these rabbiters'for that !«•: - i ,\a about £iitl0. The (Iravesend l-'i... /ing Works handled lo."5,'J40 carmmii in by 40 trappers who. netted to. rc .'rage of £:;s,S for four and a1,: ; I'.inths. Two schoolbovs made more ti: ->u in three weeks and two men £1" oue niglit. 4 • years of feeding on stoclc pastn'e • nd (-ausing erosion by burrowing in ' . rbanks, rabbits have now inflictc.i . the stoekowner the uukindest cut "f J'.ig pastoral eompanies whieh if- ■ a i !y al this time of the year, have !;nes of shearers waiting to starf . luive practicallv empty booka. Ti • - earers are out rabbiting an.l t!" .■ are now no manpower eontrols to di ; : lheiti btick to the sheds.