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though the Government would afford every facility to those 

 who were desirous of making hazardous experiments in un- 

 congenial places. This paper will therefore endeavour to 

 place the Society, and through it the general public, in pos- 

 session of a few lacts in connection with fisheries, but more 

 particularly the oyster fisheries. Most of my information has 

 been taken from Chamhers^ Information for the People, the 

 author of which has done more to cheapen, popularise, and 

 disseminate knowledge than any other man in the world. 



1st. On the Destruction of Oyster Beds. 



Exactly as the constant demand for oysters in England has 

 had the eftect of impoverishing many of the natural " scalps " 

 (beds), so the demand in Australia (principally Melbourne) 

 has had the effect of impoverishing many of the natural scalps 

 in Tasmania. Any one who has latel}'' visited England will 

 know from experience that the price of oysters in the retail 

 shops is 3s. or 3s. 6d. per dozen, to which amount the price 

 has risen in consequence of the scarcity of the article : the 

 breeding stock on many of the beds having been parted 

 with to satisfy the natural greed of the individual, supplies 

 fell short, and x^rices rose. In England, Ireland, and France 

 the natural scalps have nearly all been destroyed ; the 

 exceptions are those owned by private individuals. 



In Tasmania, whenever an oyster bed lies within a muni- 

 cipality, it is under the control of the Municipal Council 

 instead of the Central Government ; though why this anomaly 

 should exist it is hard to say. "Municipal Councils may 

 make bye-laws not repugnant to law." Sic. But though an 

 oyster bed may belong to a municipality, the law is strict as to 

 the terms on which a scalp may be destroyed. If a man is 

 sufiiciently energetic, or is fearful of others depriving him of 

 what he considers his property, he may perform the office for 

 10s. : under other conditions, the exterminating process may 

 be prolonged for a year or two, and the local or central 

 Government may profit by another 10s. or 20s. One section 

 of the Oyster Fisheries Act says — " Oyster brood, spat, cultch, 

 and small oysters to be returned to place whence taken 

 within six hours, under a penalty not exceeding =£10." Can 

 anybody believe that such a law is obeyed ? No doubt the 

 oysters are thrown somewhere — but where ? And what 

 interest can people possibly have under the existing law 

 in preserving oysters for the public ? For 10s. they may remove 

 every oyster from a bed, but if one man does not another will, 

 therefore qualms of conscience will certainly not be allowed to 

 interfere. The following beds were once good natural " scalps," 

 yielding an abundant supply to the local markets, as well as 

 large quantities for export : — Spring Bay, Southport, Oyster 



