VARIED “LUGGAGE”

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 220, 13 June 1933, Page 11

VARIED “LUGGAGE”

Horses, Rabbits and Birds

CONSIGNED TO TAHITI

Few travellers passing through Wellington have a stranger variety /of “luggage” accompanying them than Mr W. M. Reid, an export agent, of Robert Reid and Company, Sydney, who is a through passenger to Tahiti by the Makura, which arrived at Wellington from Sydney yesterday. In addition to his ordinary luggage, he has_ accompanying him two racehorses, 35 strawberry finches, 14 White Leghorn fowls, 25 rabbits, and 24 hares.

Mr. Reid had his cage of strawberry finches, which are consigned to a wealthy American resident of Tahiti, on a table in his cabin. The whole 35 were chirping away energetically, when an interviewer entered the cabin, and Mr. Reid said that they would chirp all night in the same manner unless they were covered over.

The rabbits and hares are being taken to Tahiti for a purpose the very mention of which would make an Australian or . New Zealand farmer shudder. They are intended to keep down the undergrowth in the plantations, and, judging from experience of this country and Australia, they should experience little difficulty in carrying out their job, if the hot climate does not prevent them increasing in numbers . Horse-racing and trotting were extremely popular in Tahiti, Mr. Reid said. New blood was constantly being imported, and on this occasion be was taking down two good horses, one Walla- Haere, a two-year-old pacing colt, sori of Walla Walla, who recently broke the Nefr Zealand and Australian trotting records, and a rising eight-year-old gelding named Crowdel, who had won a number of races in New South Wales and Victoria. On account of the state of the exchanges, nearly all the trade that Tahiti formerly placed with the United States, was now coming to Australia and New Zealand, he said. Flour, biscuits and jam were being exported from Australia, and milk and butter from New Zealand. In common with other visitors from Australia, Mr. Reid expressed the opinion that the Commonwealth had definitely turned the corner. He was disappointed that reciprocal arrangements had not been finalised in regard to the export of fruit to and from the two Dominions. Even if a settlement were reached immediately, it was too late to be of benefit this season.