EXPORT OF RABBITSKINS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1261, 30 April 1896, Page 7

EXPORT OF RABBITSKINS.

Some time since tho Department of Industries and Commerce sent a box of silver grey rabbilskins to Messrs Cantlio and Co., merchants, Montreal, with a letter asking if there was a market for that class of goods in Canada. Messrs Cantlio and Co. have replied that there is no market in Canada, but there is a good market in the United States, and that last year from 25 to 39 millions of New Zealand and Australian rabbitsldns wero imported into the States, at prices ranging from 2jd to 10d per lb. All of these skins were purchased at London sales, and somo of the largest buyers write to Messrs Cantlio ami Co., asking them to let them know when they had a lot to offer. There is no duly collected on these skins when imported into the United States, where they are principally used by hat manufacturers. Messrs Cantlio and Co. offer to repiclient any exporters of skins, and the i>epartiuoi'L of Industries and Commerce will supply any information in their power.

The following figures show the number of rabbilskins exported from New Zealand during tho last live years :—IS9I, I 1,302.233 ; 1892, 15,899,787; 1893, 17,011,100; JS9I-, 11,302,233; 1895 (about), 15,229,314. By shipping direct to the Stales, exporters would net the very considerable profit: which is at present pocketed by the London salesmen, from whom the skins are purchased by the American buyers. Competition with Australia should he greatly iu favour of our own exporters, as (lie skill of the New Zealand rabbit is of hotter quality than that of the Australian. The suggestion lias hum made that some of the islands adjacent to the mainland oi New Zealand should be set apart specially as breeding grounds for rabbits of the silver gn-y variety.