TURNING A PEST TO PROFIT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 6 August 1931, Page 12

TURNING A PEST TO PROFIT

MANUFACTURES FROM DEER-SKINS FOOTWEAR AND GLOVES The rise of an important industry, by which one of the Dominion’s greatest animal pests may be turned to profit, is foreshadowed by the successful manufacture in Christchurch of gloves and hoots from deer-skins (reports the “Press”). Under a special treatment those skins have been found to possess exceptional qualities of strength, flexibility, and resistance to water. When it is considered that about 20,000 deer have been culled in New Zealand during the past year, and that this number is likely to he increased in the future, the importance of aii industry which utilises the skins within the Dominion itself limy he realised. In an article which appeared in “The Press’’- last November, Mr IT. Lighthaml opposed the suggestion that unemployed men might he given work in the culling of deer. During the past year, by strenuous effort under the most severe conditions of hush and mountain life, men selected solely upon their experience and knowledge both of the. quarry and their habitat have culled probably about 20,000 deer at a cost ranging 'from 0s to 10s head. The cost naturally varied according to the difficulty of the country and the number of deer • present. The estimate of 20,000 head was open to correction from official sources, said Mr Lighthaml this week, but it was sufficiently accurate to emphasise the need for the careful selection of the cullers and tlio effective organisation of their work with the fullest funds the Treasury could at present allow. OVERSEAS MARKETS TESTED Since the recovery of venison for food is not commercially practicable, and the export price for antlers is insufficient, the utilisation of skins has seemed the only means of reducing the serious cost of culling, la the United States of America the skins were at first marketed with encouraging results; but when the hard times were felt there, a company manufacturing men’s gloves in large quantities, which had profitably taken between 10,000 and 12,000 skins, was compelled to cancel the trade with New Zealand. Not only were the prices of other hide and skin material in competition with deerskins substantially reduced, but economic conditions in America caused a marked decline in the sales of gloves, especially those of the higher qualities. Trial shipments of sufficient volume to enable comprehensive tests to he carried out have recently been made to two large tanneries in Australia. It is hoped the results of these tests will guarantee the absorption of such appreciable quantities as to warrant the purchase of stocks now held by Government Departments (and of private stocks) at prices which will materially reduce the present costs of deer destruction.

MANUFACTURE IN CHRISTt CHURCH Negotiations with possible markets in Great Britain and Europe have brought quotations too low to warrant an export trade with these countries. In order to increase and advertise tlio use of deer-skins, therefore, active efforts have been made to create a domestic market for their products. Deer-skin, it has been found, produces an exceedingly tough, flexible, and durable leather. Some hundreds of skins have been tanned in Christchurch during the last few months, and these have been manufactured into golf shoes, alpine and tramping boots, motoring gloves and dress gloves, and high-grade washable doe-skin gloves for men and women. All footwear made from the leather is water-proofed by a special and well-proved process, so that in addition to the comfort which is desired by all golfers and Hampers a reasonable resistance to water under all ordinary conditions is guniranteed. Following a display in Christchurch, the shoes and hoots have been tested by members of several golfing, tramping, ancl mountaineering clubs. So far the results have been so satisfactory as almost to guarantee a future for the industry. The boots have been found particularly useful for alpine work, both because of their toughness anil their resistance to water. The exceptional flexibility of the thick leather ensures comfort.