CO-OPERATIVE TRAPPING AND EXPORTING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12393, 1 July 1902, Page 3

CO-OPERATIVE TRAPPING AND EXPORTING.

TO THE EDITOK, Sib,—l have read "Trapper's" letter in your ispue of the 16tli inst. referring to the' proposed establishment of a Rabbit-trappers' Co-operative Freezing and Export Company. I must say that I ngrco with ovory word therein. There is 110 denying'tho fact that the trapper is sweated to the utmost under the present system of conducting liis business. Tho various exporters havo to keep their separate offices and staffs going in the city, as well as their agents and plants in each rabbit centre, and who has to pay for all this? The trapper, undoubtedly. Does it not stand to Tcason that if the trappers form their own company to conduct their busmen.', expenses in this direction would be considerably curtailed? AVe pee travellers representing the'different firms engaged in the business scouring tho country from one end to the other at the expense of tho trapper, each striving against tho ether to seouro a share of the trade, but tho funny thing is. they dare not outbid one another for tho rabbits, and why? Bccause they all belong to a ring, and arc consequently bound down to a limit, I notice in your issue of the 13th 111 st. that " One Who Knows" says that the trappers about Dunback allow themsolves to bo led by tho nose and rolled in tho mud by the buyers, also that they havo not. tho pluck of a flea.. I find the same state of tiling exists here, and can only attributo it to indiffevenco or ignorance 011 the part of tho trappers. Tlioy aro continually crying out about their grievances, and accuse exporters, agents, and all others with whom they we, compelled to deal of being so many parasites living off their labour, but tho last thing tlicy think of doing is to help themselves. Trappers, awake, yo plow, calculating, short-sighted, apathetic mortals, and bestir yourselves to make one grand effort to assist 111 tho formation of a company of your own! AV'o enn do it if we only pull together, and, instead of getting the fag end of the returns from London, after a whole battalion of others lmvo lived out of them, we will got the lion's share, which is our • just portion, seeing that we have to do all the " graft" and dirty work.—l am, etc., . Clinton, June 28. Trawer No. 2.