ANGORA WOOL

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1037, 30 July 1930, Page 10

ANGORA WOOL

“OPPORTUNITY FOR POOR PEOPLE” PROGRESS OF INDUSTRY “Angora rabbit-kepping is delightful work and suits people of poor physique and finance—men, women and young people—the very class whom our present settlement schemes cannot possibly reach, and who arc the despair of our social workers.” This is part of-a statement by Mr. A. Sainsbury, organiser of the New Zealand Fur Board, in a pamphlet on the economic position of the Angora wool industry, prepared for the information of members of Parliament. “Rabbit-keeping is quick and inexpensive to enter, and has no serious difficulties,” says Mr. Sainsbury. “We welcome more producers, which is not the case with beekeepers, poultry farmers, market gardeners and other branches of petite culture, where competition is feared. It possesses che inestimable advantage of enabling settlement to be concentrated. Thus the civic, services can be enjoyed by a thrifty yeoman population happily located near the developed towns. It makes the back-to-the-land movement immediately possible. “Starting with 12 rabbits, costing only £l2, a poor family can in one year havo a flock of 450 rabbits, the keeping of which is one person’s work, earning £5 a week, with no more expense than a town worker pays for rent. MILLS COMPETING “British and American Angora rabbit wool mills are competing keenly for supplies. Prior to the depression of 18 months ago, only one British mill was operating. Now are at least five, and new uses''are being rapidly developed. The recovery is obviously permanent, and the demand has already increased fourfold. The New Zealand Fur Board has arranged with the Midland Angora Yarn Society’s mill at Duffield, Derbyshire, a permanent market for all the Angora wool New Zealand can produce, at the following prices:—First grade, 30s a lb; second grade. 25s a lb; third grade, 15s to 9s a lb; fourth grade, 8s to 5s a lb. Marketing is inexpensive. The only deduction is freight or postage—about 2d to 4d a lb. The first two grades represent 70 per cent, of a wellkept flock’s output. The average output was 8 to 12 ounces a rabbit a year, worth 10s to 15s. This is 50 per cent, greater than tho annual fleece value of an average sheep. A sheep on range requires half an acre of land, and returns in wool 16s an acre. An equal area of green crop will maintain 100 Angora rabbits and return an acre £IOO to £l5O, which is 125 to 200 times as much. Tho rabbit's output in meat is also greater. An equally good case can be told for pelt production. “Government figures given to the last conference of rabbit destruction boards at Feilding showed that during the two years since Angora and Chinchilla rabbit-keeping was permitted, the wild rabbit pest has decreased sensationally. This is final and unanswerable proof that agriculture is not endangered,” says Mr. Sainsbury.