RABBITS IN LONDON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2728, 27 June 1906, Page 20

RABBITS IN LONDON.

The London trade in frozen rabbits, according to our cables, has been stagnant for some weeks past. There are people here, hoivover (remarks the Sydney Morning Herald), who are sanguine enough to believe—on the principle of " it's an ill wind," etc.—that the Chicago tinned meat disclosures may yet lead to an increased demand by the British masses for the cheap and wholesome Australian rabbit. Writing on the London market conditions on May 9, Mr C. Tabor says:-"With the exception of a few forward contracts, -which buyers want to fix up at very low prices, there is but little doing in the rabbit trade. 'Spot' business is dull, and the past fortnight has seen a heavy drop in values—quito Is 6d to 2s per crate. About 50,000 crates have come to hand within the past five weeks, and the market has not absorbed them afc all readily. The trade is usually very quiet from the beginning of May to the end of July, and there is

no reason to expect any difference this .year. The last few shipments of rabbite to hand have been some of the best «ver sent to this country, and is nrobably dv* *j the favourable climatic conditions that have prevailed in Australia this season." .. • For the four months ended April 7.Q. out ~of"~ 155,630cwt rabbifs imported into Great, Britain, the Australian shipments totalled' 108,27Zcwt, or nearly 70 per cent. For the corresponding period , last ' year the Australian quota was 4-B.339cvrt_- out of 98,539cwt imported. Jn 1904- "the imports from Australia totalled 29,838cwt, so that there has been a marked development in the trade. To ApriUaO this year Great Britain imported 19,50Qcwi, New Zealand rabbits. The. approximate value of this season's imports (rora Australia is set down at £114,571, which, works' out at about a guinea per cwt, or a shade .over 2d per lb. Surely cheap enough food.