On This Day
On This Day, 11 January 1917
On 11, Jan 2017 | In On This Day | By Nicola Gauld
Birmingham Mail
Thursday 11 January 1917
AUSTRALIAN RABBITS
The Imperial Government has, says a Melbourne Reuter telegram, purchased the whole surplus of Australian rabbits for the year 1917 at 19s. to 20s. a crate.
The Geelong Advertiser reported on the same day:
BRITAIN WANTS OUR RABBITS
The Prime Minister said yesterday that negotiations were not yet complete for the purchase by the Commonwealth Government, on behalf of the British Government, of the available surplus of rabbits in Australia. He, however, expected that the matter would be brought to a conclusion in a few days.
It is understood that the above transaction will be carried out so as to prevent an increase in the price of rabbits for home consumption, and that a moderate rate will be fixed for rabbits in Australia.
See Trove website for original
Find out more about the Australian homefront during WW1 here:
http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/explore-history/australia-wwi/home-wwi/homefront
http://anzaccentenary.vic.gov.au/history/victorias-contribution-wwi/
And this film footage shows a soldier wearing a rabbit skin waistcoat: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadian-troops-aka-australian-troops/query/rabbits
