RABBIT AND OTHER FUR SKINS

Hokitika Guardian, 19 October 1929, Page 3

RABBIT AND OTHER FUR SKINS

NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRY, y INVESTIGATION AT HOME. Information sought by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Besmirch Jregiirdmg (the preparation, quality and marketing of I\ew Zealand rabbit, and other fur skins, was supplied in a report from the Imperial Institute, London, which" was released for publication by the Alin isle: in charge of the Department (Hon. H. Atmore). The report stated that New Zealand raibbitskins were considered by United Kingdom buyers to be tile best on the market, and generally of satisfactory quality and assortment. Only one complaint was heard in the trade against the skins, and that was that often they were not sufficiently dried before shipment, and underwent loss of moisture in transit. This referred particularly •to winter skins. The average loss in weight in winter skins was 3 per cent, in summer skins 1 per cent. Of the total rabbit skins from New Zealand 50 per cent were caught in winter, arid if the skins had been bought .on shipping weights buyers were liable to suffer loss. The trade in Great Britain had reported that the skins, which were nearly all. cased country skins, Tad been well taken off and nicely stretched. " ' '

“It may he mentioned that the use of rabbit,skims has extended considerably of. late years in. this country, the skins being ..used for -.furs in addition to their use in hat-making, stated the report. . “Eighty per cent of the. imported New Zealand rabbitskins arc now being used for the foihier purpose, and a large' proportion of them are sent to Leipzig and other Continental, centres,' to be bleached and dyed. Alost of the skins are of grey colour, while those of fawn colour fetch the highest price and rue used for hats of special colour.” OPOSSUM SKINS.

New Zealand opossum skins were very satisfactory, and the sub-com-mittee which considered the matter were unable to point' to any features calling for improvement. At one time the skins suffered from a defect caused by burning during' the sundrying treatment, but this fault vas now seldom encountered. Of the Now Zealand opossums .skins,..the “darks (brownish in colour) Were' sligntly more valuable than'the “greys,” according to the present demand. On the whole the New Zealand skins were not in so, high a class as Tasmanian opossum skins, to which they were very similar. The sub-commit-tee recommended that in order to maintain the present standard of qualitv the authorised season tor trapping (in winter months only) be strictly enforced, as it would appear that some trapping out of ijpawn casionally took place. * ri ' • ,