BAD FLAYING.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume XXIV, Issue 2087, 15 September 1896, Page 2

BAD FLAYING.

Tse Chrisichurch Oharabor of Commerce had under its consideration at its last meeting a matter of more tban ordinary importance, viz., the unskilful and careless way iv which hides and sheepskins 'were damaged by the un» workmanlike use of the knife. The result of this want of care and iuatten* tion results in a loss of at least two shillings per head, and the estimate of the loss upon each sheepskin by method of skinning amounts to at least twopence per skin ; and in this connection one of the largest dressers of sheep skins in England has just said:

•' If it were possible to get the skins from the sheaps' becks without n fcDife mark on the flewh side, I an, of opinion that it would add from 2e to 6s per dozen to the valu9 of the pelts, ... T.oe figures given above chow the annual Jobs to Australftein; due to bad butchering, to be as follows I:—Hides 540,000, at 2* each, £54,000; sheepskins 12,294,663, at 2d each. £102,455 10* 6ri ; total £156,455 10e 6d. L'hie anneal loss would pay interest at 4 per cent on a capital sum nf no less than £3,911,383 2s 6d. As one of the leading objects of your Chamber is the fullest and mo>t beneficial development of the resources of the colonies, the section feels sure of your hearty 00-operatioo. and has the fullest confidence that you will take the needful steps to bring the subject of this circular before the notice of slaughterers and fbippers with a eiew of remedying: this preventible evil,"

From these facts it will be seen that the careless and unskill use of the knife in skinning leads to a large loss of profit, and ,ia the value of the skins Bubthitted' to the public market. The cutting is much worse in Australian skins than in Mew Zealand. The great object all; ! 'lsesv Zealand shippers should have in: shipping iheir goods is to ship the best possible procurable, and in doing so we not only benefit ourselves, but iudirectly jo^here.

The error to which we refer could easily be remedied. Were only people to take a little more trouble over this simple operation, the gain to individuals and the coloQy" w'ould'be ■ftoiii such an apparently email source simply wonderful.

The Committee of the Chamber decided to have further information in respect to the damage done, and we wait their report, wh.cb must l>e f an interesting one, with the idea that it will lead to butchers and others taking thott care, over flaying as will ensure hides being free from tae careless knife and suitable, for the.markets of Europe;;,