VALUABLE USES OF RABBITSKINS.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3091, 11 August 1914, Page 4

VALUABLE USES OF RABBITSKINS.

GLEXORTU V SKIN'S TRACED T<

PA RIS. MA 1)1! INTO A CONEY COAT FOR WIFE OF PRESIDENT OF FRANCE.

lit de-pavh inu a consiuninen l cf ralihil<kin< for London at the Jailer end of 1a -1 season. Mr Jas. J. Ward, representative for .J. 11. Kirk and Co.. X.Z.. Ltd.. slipped a post-rard of Inverearuill '-en illu his name and address. a bundle of selected doe skin». His object was. if possible, to tra<v ihe Rest skins and Mime of their uses. Mr "Ward also a-ked I lie eventual owner of the >k;iis to exchange views and to write A letter, wllieli he received : ast week. brought news of the fulfilment of this ohje-t. Mom singular to rela'e. the looked-for letter was re '(>;ved from the President .of France. M. Poincare. who turned out to ne the actual lnivcr of the ver\ rahhitskins in which the post-card hat) hecn deposiied. The foil jwimr is the President's letter, which speaks for itself:

Klysee Palace. Paris, June 1 HM I

la.-. .Ins. Waul, Esq.. X.Z

Deal' Sir.—A f<'\v days ajro Mrs Poincarc. my wife, asked me to buy lie!- a coney coat. I bought some raw Australian rabbitskins. had flicin dyed and made into a coat. Imagine Airs Poincare's surprise when putting her hands into the pocket of her coat to lind your post-card of No vemher lith. Mrs Poincarc was very pleased with the card and requests Hie iii return ft) send you a few views of Paris. 1 myself do not think 1 can do belter than to join a picture of my.-elf. I midit mention a friend of mine is a L'reat specialist of A ustralian rabbitskins and if you care to send him one or two views of your beautiful country 1 can assure you lie will be delighted. His address is as follows: "Monsieur Charles Richard Jacques. H), rue de Charenton, Paris. Trusting you enjoy jrood health. I remain, Yours Truly, Raymond Poincare, President of French Republic." Mr Ward explained ,tp) our representative the method by which rabbitskins are treated before made up into articles of clothing. Hilinn usually class' raonit skins into seventeen diU'erent classes. Ii is uenerally the best winter does that are utilised for making .what are called coney coats. The skins arc firstly .senl to a furrier, who removes the out>ide fur from same. They then revive the necessary and when these and other processes are. finished the skin presents quite a different appearance. be iiu ! led electric seal; and they make a surprisingly warm, useful and nenteeliookinir garment. This is surely amply borne out when the President oi France chooses the skin of bunny tor a coat. The skins in question came from the Crlenorchv district.

■Mr Ward states that in compliance with the President's wish he is forwarding some views of Invercarinll and of the. Wakatipu in exchange for the post-cards which he received.