RABBIT SKIN SALES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22631, 24 July 1935, Page 6

RABBIT SKIN SALES

fO THE EDITOR Sib,--T wonder if there are others amongst your readers who are as dissatisfied as I at the results of the rabbit skin sales up to now. For the past month those interested have watched with keenness the steady increase in price due to the presence of American buyers. 1 am on a block situated about 1500 feet above sea level in Central Otago, and sent a consignment of skins to one of the stock firms to be sold in the sale on July 16. The skins in this consignment were all poisoned between July 1 and July 10, and are, therefore, midwinter skins, and were taken off an area of approximately half a square mile. When the returns were sent back by the firm after the sale :I was amazed to find that the skins had been classed into no fewer than 29 different grades. Anyone who has any knowledge of skins will agree that this is quite ridiculous. It is evident that something will have to be done to protect the interests of those who endure the discomforts of a camp in winter time in order to obtain these skins, and I suggest something of this nature: A representative should be appointed who would be present in each of the stores while classing is in progress, and as each consignment is classed a duplicate should be given to the representative.' This duplicate should be posted by the representative to the consignor of the skins, who would subsequently get the usual return from the firm and would be in a position to compare the two. I, for one, would willingly contribute towards the wages of such a representative. Just for example, if od or even 6d in the £ were deducted from the value of each consignment, the total reached each sale would be ample to provide good wages for these men. They would need, of course, to have considerable knowledge of the grading of skins so as to be in a position to correct any fault in grading on the part of the classers in the stores. As regards the return I received from the firm, although there are 30 different classes printed on the form, only five of these were allowed to remain, and the remainder were deleted or altered in a hand reminiscent of a medical prescription in that it was impossible to decipher I would be glad if anyone who is interested would comment on this and give his views, as it is only by co-opera-tion that something may be done to ensure that the present high level of prices should benefit those who are entitled to it instead of following in the footsteps of the 25 per cent, rate of exchange as it is at present doing.—l am, etc., Central Otago, July 22. Bunny.