RABBITSKIN INDUSTRY

Evening Star, Issue 22379, 1 July 1936, Page 7

RABBITSKIN INDUSTRY

HiIWW EXNITI EIPMI The rabbliskin trade last yyar waa worth; to New Zealand £395,090, • the highest'return for_ any year, since 1928. The number of skins exported,. 13,536,746, exceeded shipments in any year since 1926. Compared with 1925, which was » peak year, exports in the past four years were as follow:—• •

The advance in prices this year has , given a tremendous impetus to _ the trapping industry. Exports continue to advance, and for’ the four morphs ended April, 1936, a total of 3,123,319 skins, valued at £48,674, was shipped. In the same period last year shipments were 512,268 skins, valued at £6,569. Prices have more than doubled since Starch, 1935. Current values compare as follow with those of a year ago:— First, 145 d (60d) per lb; medium, 96d (36d); poor, 37d (lid). _ About six skins go to the pound weight; so that first skins are worth about 2s _ each. There has been a large . increase in the number of rabbiters engaged and many small parties are operating., *. ' The rise in prices is due-.chieSy t* a keen demand from the United States.The end of the depression resulted- is a greatly increased public demand for furs. The numbers of other furred animals are diminishing, and rabbitskins are finding more use in the trade*

Number. Value. 1925 . ... 19,708,586 £843,416 1932 6,660,140 70,016 1933 ... 10,378,388 224,199 1934 ... 13,035,015 257,585 1935 ... 13,536,745 395,090