RABBIT AS A WAR WORKER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 29 April 1942, Page 1

RABBIT AS A WAR WORKER

“BUNNY” REDEEMS HIS PAST | HIS HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA • Every slouch hat worn by an Australian soldier is made from the fur of about nine rabbit skins. Experiments have proved that for durability there is nothing to equal the fur. Thus, the labbit is playing its part in Australia's war effort, writes G. A. King in the ‘Sydney Morning Herald.” Rabbit skins, and the fur from them, because of their light weight, will also make warm linings for great-coats, and be used lor caps, mittens, etc-, for Aus tralian and Allied troops who may be lighting in cold climates. Millions of rabbit skins are being , used for military purposes, and millions more rabbits are consumed as food. In j normal times the value of rabbit skins (exported from Australia is about ; £2.000.000 a year. Rabbit skins, treated by modern dye [chemists, are also used extensively in •the fur trade. Under the names of lapin and coney the skin fur has been [proved to stand hard wear. It seems that the Australian climate has toughened the fibre. • Truly, “bunny” is not such a pest • after all. Without any desire to reopen the !controversy on the subject of his imjportation to Australia, it is a historical fact that the first of his tribe, ; probably silver greys, arrived in the 'First Fleet. A census of livestock in [the colony on Ist May, 1788, a little more than three months after the establishment of the first settlement at Sydney Cove, disclosed FIVE rabbits in New South Wales! Three of these beyonged to Governor Phillip, and the other two “to the officers and men of the detachment.” In 1791 more rabbits were brought to Sydney from South Africa, and t' ire were many other importations before they achieved notoriety as a pest.