RABBIT-SKIN PRICES.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 March 1923, Page 4

RABBIT-SKIN PRICES.

.MISLEADING DEPORTS. INVERCARGILL. -M a fell 24 Seen hy a “Southland Times” reporter regarding the prospective nvarket price of rahhit-skins. Mr Andrew Wilson, skill and hide merchant, saitl that, he had lately noticed reports in country papers that were, in his opin- | ion. misleading. Air W ilson said th.it j as much as LTD per 100 had been qnot- j ed, and in his opinion that price was j vert wide of the mark, as the London . market at present was not Pi.m . Cablegrams had been received hy ex-| porter.- asking lor re-1 fictions lor u- j tertlay’s London sale. The London | market uas overstocked with medium grade skins, and the brokers there an-I tieipated a decline. Some exporters i had sold only a few hales el their ; -hipment, and it looked as lno'igh the ; prices paid in Invercargill for winter [ grades, such as spotty winters and i second bucks and does, would show a j |„ss. Light racks, lacks and an- J til inns, had sold well in London, and | comparatively high prices were being paid in New Zealand for these grades now. To show how misleading tinLTD per 100 basis was Air Wilson emphasise'! that the pick of the skins sold i super winter does) did nut realise LID per 100 at the last. London sale, and taking a trapped line, which would contain super does, super bucks, first and second bucks and does, and spot- j leii bucks and dose, London prices i would not. average Lli per 10i). lle| had been informed by an American im- j porter that America held good stocks j of New Zealand skills at present, ami . uule-s thev could lie bought at a reii- j suitable price they would got most, ol their supplies from Australia. lie said that it was well-known that An—! truiian skins for furriers’ purpose- ! were not as gootl as the New Zealand j lines, hut the hitter’s sorts are very j near the value ot New Zealand skills, j and although at the present time Aus-j U-alian racks were selling at Is per lh less than the price paid in the Dominion for the same ela-s. America look large sunplie., from Australia last year ami it was reported that they had been unloading oil London. Rabbits are very numerous in all parts ol Southland ami i Otago, ami indications pointed H> heavy supplies, which would tend to keep down prill's. Reports from Australia indicated large supplies from there, A 7 tons of skills being offered in Sydney at the last sal". "f am glad | to make these facts public." concluded j ,\!j Wilson, ••because young men in j goo.| positions may he tempted to give j up their silmitiuns tu go trapping. Iu mv opinion there will he a lair demand I for New Zealand skins at a payable i price to the trapper, lull the prices of | the boom period are a thing oi the | pas'.”