The centrally situated banks stow but little increase this year, a fact which is, perhaps, due to 

 the banks being sanded up, owing to the washing away of Amity Point. The banks held respectively by 

 Messrs. Moore and Collin, o€ Eedland Bay, have improved, but not to any very great extent. 



The enormous deposit of spat mentioned in my last report as having been noticed in Eedland 

 Bay has come to nothing, and the same might be said with reference to that in Deception Bay. 



On some banks between Pat's Point and Stradbroke, where a large fall of spat took place during 

 the 1877 flood, fat oysters of marketable size have been obtained, and young brood removed from the 

 same banks to wired enclosures in an inlet north of Currigee have done exceptionally well. Large 

 quantities of oyster shells collected in Brisbane were laid down in Ninghi Creek and Bribie Passage by 

 tl^e Moreton Bay Oyster Company just before the oysters had spatted, with very encouraging results. 



During the summer months, and especially daring showery weather, it has been found that with 

 oysters, say four qr jfive years old, a fall of spat may be expected, if the oysters are removed to a 

 favournble positiun, -vivhere the density of the salt water is less than that from which they have been 

 brougi'.fy 'suifkibls [provision i being made for the spat to adhere to, by laying down oyster-shells, sticks, 

 stones, or tiles. 



Among the <3londiti!!>ii3 which require to be known and acted upon for the successful cultivation of 

 the oyster in Moreton Bay, the following may be summarised as the principal : — 



1. A knowledge of the different saline densities at various depths and time of tide. 



2. The currents formed at half flood-tide, which is supposed to be the most favourable spatting 



time. 



3. The proper time to lay down cultivators for the catchment of spat, so that they may not be 



liable to a growth of barnacles or seawood before the spat adheres. 



4. Protection from the sun's rays, star-fish, borers or whelk-tingle, sea-eggs, crabs, birds, and 



fish. 



5. Also, a knowledge of the different mineral compositions of the ground on which the culture 



is laid, and the description of sea-grass or sea-weed that grows on it, and which in some 

 cases is of a poisonous character. 



These conditions, which in Moreton Bay have been found to vary in difierent localities situated 

 only a few miles apart, can only be found out by practical experiment and an expenditure of time and 

 hard cash. Many speculative persons, with a few hundred pounds to invest, have had their atten- 

 tion drawn to the oyster industry as a means of making large profits, but as these people were 

 totally unacquainted with the various risks and failures mentioned above, and which are inseparable 

 from such an undertaking, I considered it best to dissuade them from their purpose. A man, however, 

 who is willing with his family to live in solitude amongst the islands of the Bay, and personally supervise 

 the working of his banks, has a chance of making a fairly comfortable living, while the large companies 

 continually spending money in experiments have to trust in a great measure to the honesty and industry 

 of their employes for a fair return. 



Information has been received that along the coast of New South Wales, between Port Stephens 

 and Kiama, a small worm has caused great havoc amongst the oysters, and during the recent drought I 

 noticed in the southern portion of the Bay a few shells, the oysters of which had probably been destroyed 

 by the same cause. 



The unlicensed banks and G-overnment reserves in the Bay have been subjected to much mis- 

 use by persons who, not content with satisfying their appetites, have taken away the oysters for 

 the purpose of seUiug them. A case was also successfully proved at the police court the other day, where 

 a licensed oysterman was fined for stealing oysters from an unlicensed bank and laying them down as 

 cultivation on his own banks. 



The following reserves for camping, for the use of licensees of oyster banks, were gazetted on the 

 13tli April last, and will supply a long-felt want : — 



On Stradbroke Island. 



No. ] . — Twenty-eight acres ; at Currigee, on The Broadwater. 



No. 2. — Twelve acres ; at Couran, on The Broadwater. 



No. 3. — Pive acres ; about midway between Couran and Tuleen, on one of the channels leading 

 into Canaipa Passage. 



No. 4. — Pive acres ; at Koureyabba, on Canaipa Passage, about one mile south of Mount Scott. 



No. 5. — Pive acres ; at Canaipa, opposite the north-east end of Eussell Island. 



No. 6. — Pive acres ; at Canalpin, opposite the northern end of Macle.ay Island. 



No. 7. — Pive acres ; at Wallen Wallen, about three miles south of Dunwich. 



No. 8. — live acres ; at Big Hill (or Capembah), about two miles north of Dunwich, and adjoining 

 the southern boundary of portion 1, parish of Stradbroke. 



No. 9. — Five acres ; at "Wallum, about midway between Chiggil Chiggil and Amity Point. 



On Moreton Island. 

 No. 10. — Five acres ; at Umbcunba, about one and a-half mile north from the south end of 

 Moreton Island. 



No. 11. — Pive acres; at Kounungai, about five miles north of the south end of Moreton Island. 



On Bribie Island. 

 (Pumice-stone Channel.) 

 No. 12. — Five acres ; at a point on the west shore of Bribie Island, opposite the mouth of Glass 

 Mountain Creek. 



No. 13. — Pive acres ; at "Woorim, on the west shore of Bribie Island, about two miles south of 

 Caloundra. 



No. 14. — Five acres ; at the northern end of Bribie Island. 



A number of oystermen with their families having settled at Currigee, it is proposed to bring the 

 matter of the establishment of a school at that place before the notice of the Education Department. 



The revenue for the past year has been increased by the proceeds from the sale of dredge sections 

 in December last, but at prices which I am afraid will leave but a small margin for profit. 



OysterB 



