RABBITSKIN FURS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4985, 9 June 1926, Page 4

RABBITSKIN FURS.

OPPORTUNITY FOR DOMINION. IDEAL CLIMATIC CONDITIONS. “The rabbit, though looked upon as a, pest in New Zealand, is much in evidence in the clothing of the world’s people,” remarked Mr R. SBlack, who has just returned to Dunedin from a trip round the world. The rabbitskin might be a humble grade of fur, but for every one who wore sable, thousands wore the fur of ra.bbits disguised under many names. The rabbitskin trade would contiuc for many yea,rs, or as long as the trappea' put thought into the handling of the skins. For example, in a fa.tty skin the grease would permeate the fur, and machinery had yQt to be invented that would bring a greasy skin back to its original brightness. If the skin were not dry the pelt would deteriorate. Mr Black said that the New Zealand rabbitskins, owing to the climate, were preferred to these of other countries. Whether the New Zealand skins would rank with its butter a,nd lamb as the best in the world rested, however, with the trapper, Poland had closed her doors to the import of furs, and as that country was the largest user of oppossum skins, the trade had been practically killed in New Zealand. High prices could no longer be hoped for. In (fact, very high prices for all skins could not. be obtained while wa-r debts were curtailing the. spending power of the countries which used them. Most of Russia’s fur production was becoming smaller owing to disorganisation. Central Otago, with its snowclad mountains, would be an ideal place for the breeding of some of the highvalued fur animals, such as foxes, said Mr Black. Of course, the arteas in which they were kept would have to be fenced. The animals could be fed on rabbits. Breeders of such animals had many years ago asked' if they could obtain rabbit, meat from New Zealand to feed silver foxes.