FUR FARMERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3888, 18 September 1928, Page 13

FUR FARMERS.

SYDNEY, September 6. The news that 20 Chinchilla and 50 Angora rabbits have been shipped to New Zealand is more than interesting in view of the setback which has been given to tie fur-farming proposal in Australia, because of the fact, apparently that the mere word “ rabbit ” is anathema in the Commonwealth, and the fear that rabbits specially imported and bred for their fur will be allowed to run loose and join their legion but plebian cousins. The unfavourable attitude towards this new industry is incomprehensible, even to many men on the land who realise that, as in other countries, rabbits specially bred for their fur have as little chance of escape, under proper restrictions, as the animals in the Zoo. The value of these specially-imported rabbits is regarded as ample guarantee in itself, that their owners will take excellent care of them, and will not allow them to get on friendly or amorous terms with th“ rabbits which have been brought under the Pests Act. At the recent conference dealing with the fur-farming proposal the balance sheet was produced of a lady who invested £2OOO in a fur farm in Great Britain. This showed a return for the first year alone of close on £l3OO. It is said that, starting with a buck and three does, a man, even in a small way, can own a rabbitry stocked with 400 in two years.