MONEY IN RABBITS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19086, 3 August 1925, Page 11

MONEY IN RABBITS.

THE RETURNS FOR PELTS. /DOMINION-WIDE INDUSTRY. AMERICANS CHIEF BUYERS. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] DUNEDIN. Saturday. For the past 15 or 20 years the rabbitskin, auctioneers in Dunedin have been selling all the year through. Dunedin is practically tho only auctioneering market in New Zealand. Three or four sales during the year aro held in Wellington. Tho cause of the market settling iu Dunedin was that >at one timo Otago and Southland were the only districts m which the riibbit was a malignant pest. Of late years it has spread to the whole Dominion and skins now come to tho Dunedin auctions from all parts from Auckland to Bluff. Very largo supplies aro being received from North Canterbury and the Mackenzie County. Taihapo is ono of the chief contributing districts in the North Island. Some of the North Mand skins compare favourably with those of Otago and Southland. Thcso North Island skins come from high country, whero the temperature must bo at least as low as in the South. The offerings during tho last year or two havo appreciably increased. The total quantity sold in tho Dunedin market at auction during August was 296,4181b., tho value being roughly estimated at from £90,000 to £150,000. As this money has all been earned by trappers it will be seen that the industry absorbs a largo amount of labour. The bulk of tho rabbits are killed by strychnine poisoning. This does not affect the pelts. Prices for skins have been steadily high in the last two years. The largest buyers are the Americans, who, during the present season, havo taken quite three-fourths of tho total offerings. Tho Americans seem to havo transferred their rabbitskin buying to a large extent from London. They now buy in the country of origin. This means that they can pay prices quite equivalent to those of the London market. Trappers therefore get the full benefit of tho American competition. » The only skins that the Americans aro not greatly interested in are. the best descriptions of winter doe skins. They do not seem to be able to compete with tho Continent in the make up of these thin and easily-torn pelts.