RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 200, 21 May 1931, Page 8

RANDOM NOTES

Sidelights on Current

Events

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Kickshaws.)

(Bv

A. in Chicago was recently awarded 100 dollars for bravery. The bravest part of the whole business was when he walked home with the money in bis pocket after the ceremony. A man has advertised in an American paper that he can teach anybody to play the harmonica in five minutes. It is understood desperate efforts are being made to stave off this national disaster. While the New Zealand actress Miss Marie Ney was entertaining convicts, jewellery valued at £5O was stolen from her house. A stranger subsequently rang her up and offered to see that anything of sentimental value would be returned to ber if sbe would describe it. In certain Oriental countries whea things get stolen it is only necessary to send someone to the native bazaar to buy them back at a small price. > In England and most other well-organised countries, the problem is not so easy. Few of us know what happens to the hundred and one articles stolen every day. This is unfortunate, for the disposal of stolen loot is better organised than many more lawful trading processes. Within a few hours of making a good haul of jewellery at some house the proceeds of the night’s work are sold to a “fence.” Prices are low, in the vicinity of one-tenth the real value. Once a “fence” has acquired a haul it is up to him in his turn to dispose of the whole lot as quickly as possible. For judges deal severely with receivers of stolen property.

Every “fence,” or receiver of stolen goods, has in his pay certain gentlemen called “swallows” and “pigs.” All negotiable articles are passed on to the “swallows.” They make straight for the “pigs.” A "pig” is more often than not a seemingly perfectly law-abiding working jeweller licensed to deal in precious metals. He takes all articles of jewellery that can be melted down, such as bracelets, cigarette cases, gold watch cases, and the like. For the work of melting down these stolen goods he is well paid. It is then the duty of “swallows" to dispose of the metal. The particular “swallow” who does this generally poses as a representative of a firm of assayers. The receipted invoices that complete the deal, often to perfectly honest jewellers, are faked.

The illicit disposal of precious stones requires great care. Jewels are invariably removed from their settings and sent to Antwerp or Amsterdam. Socalled “mixed dealers” (who deal in honest and dishonest ways simultaneously) remount them and put them on the market as new. A common method is to remount stones in imitation old-fashioned brooches. They are then advertised for sale in newspapers after the following manner: “Ladywishes to dispose of heirloom brooch, £5O or offer.” A certain class of dealer is on the look-out for that type of advertisement. One of the many agents of the “fence” concerned is met at the address given, and the transaction concluded. Ropes of really valuable pearls are unstrung and rebuilt into new necklaces. There is a large export trade in these “fence” pearl necklaces in America. Indeed, a well-organised loot exchange operates. Things stolen in America are exchanged by this organisation for pearl necklaces stolen and restrung elsewhere. All this organisation is very expensive. It is for that reason that the original thief receives such poor value for his haul. It is thus possible for anyone “in the know" to lay their hands on articles just stolen, if, as in the case of Miss Marie Ney, they take pity on the victim.

Rabbit farmers have asked the executive of the Farmers’ Union for its support. The Farmers’ Union is’ considering extending its goodwill to this new industry. The word rabbit naturally puts farmers on their guard, especially the older farmers who saw what a rabbit can do. Let us hope, however, that the rabbit and the farmer in this case may become reconciled. For some reason or other there has been little fur farming in New Zealand. There is no doubt that it is a profitable industry to any country. Ralibit breeding for fur, for example, is quite a large industry in France. 11 brings in about. £30,000.000 a year. In the case Of the Angora rabbit, the average price of wool is 30/- an ounce. This may seem expensive, but six ounces will make a suit of clothes. About five acres will support 1000 rabbits. They are shorn every three months and produce about half a pound of wool a year per head.

Once the rabbit fur industry has overcome the prejudices of the community there seems little reason to stop at rabbits. There, are other animals just as profitable, or more so. For instance, the opossum, if properly bred for fur, should make a good investment. Some few years ago there was talk about stocking the Coromandel Peninsula with opossums. Doubtless that district would make a good spot for the breeding of opossums in captivity. There is even tin opening for tame rats. For the white rat Is now bred to make what is called rat ermine. This fur is used for trimming various garments. Any schoolboy .should be able to breed white rats for this market. Musk rats are another type of fur-bearing animal whose pelts fetch comparatively - good prices. Those animals have up to live litters a year. The pelts fetch ten or twelve shillings each.

Perhaps the most profitable fur-benr-ing animal bred in captivity is the silver fox. An idea of the money to be made from these animals is to he had from the fact that a pair of good cubs fetch over £lOO. Pelts fetch £4O to £5O. Good specimens have been sold for ns much as £2OO. Each pair of silver foxes produces four cubs annually. There are several silver fox farms in England an-l hundreds in Canada. The higher ground of tlie South Island should be suitable for them. It is high time we investigated the possibilities of fur farming. Certain animals seem to thrive extraordinarily well in this country—especially hedgehogs, judging by the numbers killed on the road. Perhaps someone can find a use for their fur. It would make a good coat for a crowded tramcar.

Many a woman, far too kind. Never dares the truth "you bore . . .• Only in iter secret mind Shuts the gate and locks tlie door. —-Dorothy Dow.