8 



attained during the first year's growth, was obtained, although it is mentioned 

 that " men were caught removing them (oysters) from the very cultch put down by 

 Mr. Judd." If they were worth removing, they must have been worth measuring I 

 The Collector disagreed in part with the foregoing recommendations ; from 

 enquiries made he feared that closure of all the creeks would cause in- 

 convenience and result in the market being occasionally without oysters during 

 the season. It would be preferable, he considered, to close the creeks by 

 compartments, those between Gizri and Kutch first, as such had suffered most, 

 and those between Gizri and the Hab river in the next and alternate period. 

 Any deficiency in the supply, he believed, would easily be made good by increased 

 imports from Kutch, as 17,300 dozen were imported therefrom in 1901-02 and 

 21,600 dozen during the following season. 



31. The Commissioner approved, and the necessary instructions were 

 issued for the closing of the beds in one or other of two sections in alternate 

 years in addition to the regulations previously in force. As the creeks south of 

 Gizri were to receive attention during the first year, the following notice was 

 issued : 



" GENERAL DEPAETMENT. 

 No. 2570, dated 27th July 1903. 



Whereas under section 37 of the Land-Revenue Code (Bombay Act V of 

 1879) all the creeks on the Sind coast are the property of Government : 



I hereby give notice that the taking or removing of oysters from the beds 

 of the creeks mentioned below is prohibited until further orders. 



Any person found taking or removing oysters from the creeks referred to 

 will be dealt with according to law. 



Creeks referred to : 



All creeks between Ghizri creek near Karachi and Sir Creek in the 

 Jati Taluka. The names of the principal creeks and their branches are : 



Main creek. Branches or situation. 



Kurangi ... ... Jori Chain, Charo, and rocks to west of Bram Hyderi. 



1'hoti ... ... Kund, Kliari. 



Kbudi ... ... Chaglo. 



Khai ... ... Memonki Pir Waro, Khanto. 



Khanto ... .. : Chitri Waro, in the bed of the Khanto creek. 



Kbanbrano ... Near Panju's Got. 



Pirtiani ... ... Sanehri, Khamisa, Dumbri, Kun Chhino, Gudago, Chach in 



Wado Kbamisa, Kotia Wari. 



Dubbo ... ... Kucber. 



Hajamro ... ... Mithi Chbani, Ferti, Jhip." 



32. Thus was initiated the protective system now in force. Study of the 

 figures of oyster imports into Kardchi shows that at the commencement it gave 

 fair promise of effecting the desired results; thus after two years closurse of 

 the Sind creeks the produce of their beds amounted in 191)5-06 to 13,030 dozen 

 as against 1,750 dozen in 1902-03, 9,300 dozen in 1901-02 and 8,503 dozen in 

 1900-01, the three seasons prior to the adoption of the new methods of 

 regulation. Unfortunately the improvement was not maintained, for in the 

 1906-07 season the output fell to 4,930 dozen. In the same way the closing of 

 the Karachi beds at Nawa iNar for two seasons gave good results for the first 

 year of re-opening, the produce of 1907- 1 * being 875 dozen, a very much better 

 figure than any for the four seasons which preceded the two years of closure, 

 namely, 340, 19 , 70 and 10" dozen respectively for the seasons 1901-02 to 

 1904-05. Against this improvement must be set the fact that the produce of 

 the Hab beds afier two years' rigorous protection showed a decline of over 66 

 per cent, on the output of the year preceding closure, to wit, 1,100 dozen in 

 1907-08 against 3,400 dozen in 19U4-05. 



