The skinner, who had a reputation of being able to do 400 an hour, then gets to work. Many ridiculed the idea of such a record, but once he started it was soon seen that it could easily be accomplished. He first parts the skin a little from the flesh in about the centre of the rabbit, hangs the carcase by the middle on a hook, and gives the skin one pull and the rabbit is ready to be cut up.

The same man is an expert in this department also, but can do about twice as many animals in the time. Five hits of the chopper is all that is required, and bunny falls in pieces into a huge tub of brine. The flesh is treated to two or three courses of brine of various strengths, and is really pickled before being put into tins. The article is tinned before being cooked, only a pin-hole being left in the tin.

This is soldered while the contents are hot, and the cooling process causes the vacuum so well known to people in the trade. With the addition of an attractive label the article is ready for market. All the tins are manufactured on the premises, and some surprisingly simple labor and time saving machinery is in use.

The tin is cut to size by a guillotine, and is then turned and made the shape of a tin, so that every tin will be exactly the same size. A tinsmith gets the tin round an iron cylinder and the edges are easily soldered. The bottoms fit exactly, and are soldered by being turned round in the solder so that just the edge is touched.

But it is the machine that cuts the lids that is a surprise packet for the average onlooker. With it one man can cut 1500 complete lids an hour with the edges turned. It is worked by a 3-h-p. engine, and must have enormous power to do the work it does.

Situated a few yards from the factory is a shed in which boys are engaged in putting the skins over wires to be dried, and the place contains hundreds in the drying process.

Through the boat not calling and the machinery being thus delayed, the factory was not quite in full working order, but the men worked all the previous night and up to one o'clock that morning in order that the public might see how the rabbits are treated.

A number of tins from the first batch were opened and placed on the dinner table. Everyone was anxious to taste it, and asked for 'just a little please,' but in many cases the order was repeated minus the 'little please.' There is not the slightest doubt that the article has a very presentable appearance and is extremely palatable. In fact, one man re marked that he had tasted stewed rabbit, curried rabbit, baked rabbit, and boiled rabbit, but they were all put in the shade by canned Wyndham rabbit. It is far superior to much of the preserved beef sold in this district.

Some poultry and beef were also in the pickling stage, but so far none has been turned out ready for market. In about a fortnight's time the first shipment of rabbit will be dispatched to an English firm, who, it is thought, will take the whole output.

On the day of the opening a lot of rabbits were brought in and one cart-load from Rocky Hall way was said to contain 750 pairs. Of course there are very few professional trappers in the district yet, and most of the bunnies are caught by amateurs. One young fellow with 60 traps has averaged 10s 6d a night since the factory opened. The price of 5d per pair is a very good one when it is considered that that price will rule the whole year round.

The Pambula band was on the ground and enlivened the proceedings by their selections. Altogether a most enjoyable time was spent by the visitors, and if the factory is only half as successful as the opening ceremony, then a new and flourishing industry has been established in the district which will benefit the farmer and business man alike. A large crowd then assembled at the rear of the building, where the official opening ceremony took place.

Mr. Thos. Moore, chairman of the directors, mounted a large copper beside the boiler and addressed the gathering. He said he regretted there was not a more capable speaker in his place on such an important occasion. He had to apologise to the visitors for the state the factory was in, but it was no fault of the directors. The weather was against them, and the boat took their machinery back to Sydney, thus delaying them at least a week. Although the place did not look much, it could not be put up without difficulty, and every day brought its own trouble.

This was pretty well the first rabbit canning company in N.S.W. There was no doubt that Mr. Hutchinson did more than any of them in bringing the factory into existence, and he was the backbone of what the people saw that day.

It was 18 months ago since the movement was started, when times were bad. The directors thought they would canvass for shares themselves, but only one man did any good. They therefore held a meeting and decided to abandon the project. There was no man more indignant at this than Mr. Hutchinson, who said the factory meant everything to the district. That gentleman kept on writing and enquiring, and collecting whatever information he could.

Then the Pambula Dairy Co. thought of dealing with frozen rabbits, but the idea did not materialise. Then Mr. Hutchinson and Mr. G. Keys called a meeting at Towamba, and he (the speaker) was put on the Board of Directors. There were only a few more meetings before the prospectus was issued and a canvasser put on. Then Mr. Ingles gave them all the possible information about canning; in fact, their case would have been hopeless only for him, for he told them everything.

Mr. Keys, at his own expense, took Mr. Ineles all over the district, and for this the community was very thankful. The speaker wishes to mention the capable canvasser, Mr. Kraanstuyver. It was hard for a man to make the public believe that canning was going to be what it was. As soon as 3000 shares were taken, a site for the factory was selected, and he believed it was in the right place. He trusted the landholders and trappers would work amicably together. If they were not going to support them, what was the use of them building.

The trappers had an industry for themselves, and if they wished to utilise it they would be paid a fair price for rabbits the whole year round. The speaker concluded a fitting address by thanking the employees for working day and night in order to allow the public to see the factory in working order. Mr. N. Hutchinson could scarcely find words to express his deep appreciation for the honor of formally opening the factory.

The idea of canning rabbits arose out of a casual conversation, between Mr. L. Diversi and. Mr. Jno. Bo land two years ago, and the latter suggested that they might find someone who could wield a pen to take the matter up. The first letter the speaker wrote was to a Wyndhamite, Mr. Goldberg, and that person took the trouble to interview a number of farmers who all fell in with the movement. Since then he wrote a lot of letters, and he had to thank the press for publishing them. They had met all kinds of opposition, but he could not understand a single farmer standing aloof from the movement, and using his influence against it.