PROFITABLE RABBITS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 September 1926, Page 1

PROFITABLE RABBITS

BIG SUMS MADE. DUNEDIN, September 9. Says a writer in tlie “ Star,” the bunny is not altogether the nuisance and unproductive creature that people are made to believe. Farmers curse tlie rabbit which lias infested this country. They are justified, for ho lowers tiro productivity of their land, yet bunny means a wealth of nearly £500,000 to New Zealand yearly. We hear a great deal about bags of New Zealand money, going yearly to America and that few of the dollars come to this country. Bunny is the biggest winner of money from tlie Americans for the Dominion, as the United States buy most of the skins. After all, the rabbit is not such an unprofitable creature. Southland lias unkind recollections of the year when the rabbit was first introduced into that province, the first in the colony, for the fleet, furry animal overran the countryside, but now about 4000 or 5000 men arc employed during tbe winter month trapping the rabbit and sorting bis skins in tlie stores. Dunedin is the only market in New Zealand for the sale of rabbitskins. Fortnightly sales are held, and at June, July and August sales, 1.153,8051 b of skins were sold allowing, at a very low estimate, 0s 8d to be the average price per lb. the value of the skins sold was £384.(500, and with the quantities sold during May and sales to he made this month a conservative estimate of the value of rabbitskins produced in New Zealand for this winter would be about £500,000. Since June one firm alone has sold 50!),8611bs of skins and seven other firms have held sales. From all over New Zealand come skins for the Dunedin market, but the better grade skins come from the high country of Central Otago, Hnkataramea and Canterbury. Babbiting is a lucrative business for the men who have seasonal occupations. "While waiting for harvesting to start or shearing to commence, these men camp out in the open in gangs, and reports show that some parties make £SOO or £OOO per man for the season. Owing to the extremely mild weatherthere has been a decided shortage of the best grades of skins. All super grades of winter bucks have been taken at extreme prices on American account, the skins being utilised in the making of coats. Though America lias been taking all grades of bucks, doe skins havenot had the same attention from ' the States and have been shipped mostly to London and tbe Continental markets. Tbe lower grades of skins arcused by shatters in the manufacture of fur felt hats.