386 
YHT tropical agriculturist. [December i, 1891. 
Among matters connected with the ojster fisheries, 
Mr. Saville-Kent anBounoeB that the tropical oysters 
figured and described in his recently issaed report on 
the oysters and oyster fisheries of Queensland as 
the black-lipped speoies, and to which he had previously 
drawn attention as a wholesome edible variety, is 
already being turned to eommercial account in the 
far North, consignments being regularly shipped for 
the Normanton and Croydon markets. In addition 
to the subjects above mentioned, Mr. Saville-Kent 
hag accumulated in connection with hie recent tour 
much valuable information and material for utilisation 
in his projected comprehensive works on the fish fauna 
and fisheries products generally of this colony, 
THE NEW BILL. 
The Pearlshell and Beche-de-mer Fishery Act 
Amendment Act of 1891, initiated in committee by Sir 
Thomas M'llwraith, provides for the appointment of 
inspectors, and enacts that all shipp employed in the 
trade must clear the Customs before going to the fishery, 
and forbids any vessel to carry more than two gallons 
of intoxicating liquor. The inspectors are empowered 
to board any ship or boat employed in the fishery, or 
enter upon any fishing station or aoy buildings thereon ; 
to require the master or other person in charge to 
produce and deliver up any certificate or document 
relating to the ship or boat, or to any person who is 
employed '. to muster the persons employed on board 
the ship, or boat, or at the station ; to require the 
master or employer, or the person in charge of the 
station, to give any explanation concerning the ship, 
boat, or station, or men employed ; to examine all the 
appliances, the diving dress, air pump, air-tubes, &c., 
and may by order in writing forbid the further use of 
it if, in bis opinion, it is unsafe or insoflaoient. Provi- 
sion is made for appeal from the inspector's decision. 
It is also provided that periodical inspection of diving 
gear shall be made by the inspectors every six mouths, 
the maximum and miuimum penalties attaching to the 
ofifence of non-submission on the part of the master or 
employer being £100 and £20 respectively. The 
maximum penalty for using condemned gear is 
£50. Should it appear to an inspector that a con- 
travention of any of the provisions of tlie Acts has 
been mide the inspector has power, without summons, 
warrant, or other process, to take the offender and 
if necessary the ship or boat to which he belongs and 
the crew before a justice, either at a place appointed 
for holding courts of petty sessions or not, end the 
inspector may detain the ship or boat until the alleged 
contravention has been adjudicated upon. Any person 
vyho removes, except for the purposes of cultivation 
onlj within the colony, or sells or exposes for sale, 
any psarl oyster shell of the kind scientifioally known 
as Melesgrina margaritifera, and of either of. the 
varieties commonly known as "golden-edge" and "silver- 
lip," of which the nacre or mother-of-pearl measures 
less than 6in. from the butt or hiogo to the opposite 
edge or lip, is made liable to a penalty not exceeding 
five pounds for every such pearl oyster shell found 
in his possession, and every bag or other receptacle 
containing shell in which any such shell is found, and 
©very heap or other collection of shells in which any 
such shell is found, is to be forfeited. If, however, it is 
proved to the satisfaction of the Governor-in-Council 
that the ordinary size of any such pearl oyster shell 
when full grown is, when found withio any specified terri- 
torial waters of Queensland, of less size than that hereby 
prescribed, the Governor. in- Council can by proclamation 
direct that with respect to any such pearlshell touod 
within those waters other dimeQsionB shall be substituted. 
In this connection it is also provided that in the case 
of any such pearl oyster Bhell of the variety cofamouly 
called " dwarf bhell," an inspector may, on applica- 
tion, at his discretion authorise its removal or sale or 
exposition for sale notwithstanding that it is of less 
gisie than that prescribed. All shell must be pfvcked 
in rfeci jitai lea for exporation at some place ou land, 
but this cannot be done until one week's notice of 
intentioa to back has been given to the inspector. The 
maxiiuum penalty for an offence against this clause is 
i20. Trovision ie alao inado for the closing of barks. 
Yearly licenfes must be taken out by dealers in pearls, 
the fee being £5; and after December of the present 
year it is made unlawful for any person to purshase 
pearls at any place where the fishery is carried on, or, 
at Port Kennedy in Thursday Island, without having 
first obtained this license. It is provided that the 
Governor-in-OouDcil may grant a lease of the whole 
or any part of an outlying reef or bank, or other places 
for the collection, storage, cultivation or propagation 
of pearlshell or of beche-do-mer, or of sponges or other 
products of the sea. The remaining clauees of the 
measure deal with the penalties to be inflicted on 
persons obstucting inspectors, the service of proceed- 
ing and make the master of the ship prima facie liable 
for offences committed by persona employed thereon. 
— Qtieenslander. 
^ 
The Condition of Sarawak. — An interesting report 
by the British Consul at Brunei, in Borneo, on a visit 
which he made recently to the State of Sarawak has 
just been issued by the Foreign OflBce. The first town 
visited was Muka, the centre of the sago industry. The 
stems of the sago palm are cut in the upper reaches 
of the river, formed into rafts, and floated down to 
Muka, where the pith is extracted, and stamped on 
floors in such a manner that it falls in the shape of 
flour into boats placed below to receive it. The flour 
i.s then shipped to Kiiohing or Singapore, where it is 
again cleaned and shipped to its destination. Kuching, 
the capital of the State, is described as a model of 
cleanliness and good order, possessing an excellent 
hospital and museum and various educational institu- 
tions. Busoh and Paku, in Upper Sarawak, were next 
visited ; at the former are extensive antimony works, 
and at the latter the ChiLese work gold. The quartz 
containing the gold is either picked or blasted from 
clefts in the limestone rocks* and conveyed to sheds, 
where it is broken with a hammer worked by the foot, 
after the manner of a sewing machine, upon a granite 
anvil, into a fine dust, which is washed in sluices, and 
the residue carefully "cradled," as in Australia. 
Throughout Upper Sarawak there are various experi- 
mental Government plantations ; those of pepper, 
tea, and coffee are doing well, while tobacco has proved 
a failure. The Sadong coal mines are being worked 
to advButage and the product exported. The Consul 
then went to Sibu, on the iiejang river, the largest 
stream in the State, and one of the largest in Borneo, 
for it is navigable for vessels drawing 7tt. to about 160 
miles from its mouth. Sibu is the largest ont-station 
in Borneo, with a large population of Chinese traders, 
who exchange European goods for jungle produce. The 
native population of the district is about 70,000, moetly 
Dyaks, but some idea of the diversity of the population 
will be derived from the fact that 17 different languages 
are spoken on tte Rejang alone. The dyaks of the 
district were amongst the most formidable piratical 
hands infesting the coasts of Borneo less than 50 years 
ago. There is a considerable timber trade from the 
Kejang. The Sarawak coast is well lighted, and the 
Consul reports that he found everywhere a thriving 
and contented population, while the European ofiSoers 
engaged in the administration are, in his opinion, equal 
in every respect to those serving her Majesty in similar 
capacities. The revenue last year was §413,112, and 
th e expenditure about $50,000 less. The revenue is 
derived from opium, arrack, gambling and pawnbroking 
monopolies, and customs. The total foreign trade last 
year amounted to over 4J million dollars. The chief 
items of export were sago flour, $343,035 ; eutta-percha, 
*).241.595; pepper, §237,476; rattans, §179,933; and 
gambler, $133,235 ; while the chief imports last year 
we e rice, $ 240,426 ; cloth, $237,737 ; and treasure, 
1168,063. The general impression left by the report is 
that of a well ordered, peaceful, progressive State, 
with light taxation, all of an indirect character, and an 
expenditure which is less than the revenne by a sub. 
stantial sum. — London Times. 
* Auriferous granite in clefts of limestone rock is, 
surely, a very rare formation — Ed. 7'. A. 
