386 
thp tropical agriculturist. 
(December i, 1891. 
Among matters connected with the ojster fisheries, 
Mr. Saville-Keot ansounoea that the tropioal oysters 
figured and described in Ids recently issned report on 
the oysters and oystor fisheries of Qneeosland as 
the black-lipped species, and to which be Iiad previously 
drawn attention as a wholeaomo edible variety, is 
already being turned to commercial account in the 
far North, consignments being regularly shipped for 
the Normanton and Ornydon markets. Tn addition 
to the subjects above mentioned, Mr. Sarille-lCent 
has Bccumulatcd in connection with his 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. 
Yearly licenses most 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 purchase 
pearla at any place whore the fishery is carried on, or, 
at Tort Kennedy in Thursday Island, without having 
first obtained tbis_ license. It is provided that the 
Governor-in-Oouncil may grant a lease of the whole 
or any part of an outlying reef or bank, or otlier places 
for the collection, storage, cultivation or propagation 
of pearlshellor of bcche-de mer, or of sponges or other 
products of the sea. The remaining clauses 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 /eicis liable 
for offences committed by persons employed thereon. 
—Queenslander. 
The Pearlsbell and Beche-de-mer Fishery Act 
Amendment Act of 1891, initiated in committee by Sir 
Thomas MTlwraith, provides for the appointment of 
inspectors, and enacts that all shipr employed in the 
trade mast clear the Customs before going to the fi.shcry, 
and iorbids aoy vessel to carry more than two gallons 
of intoxicating liquor. The inspectors are empowered 
to board any ship or boat ompfoyed in the fishery, or 
enter upon any fiBhiug station or any buildings thereon ; 
to requite the master or other person in charge to 
produoo and deliver up any certificate or document 
relating to the ship or bout, or to any person who is 
employed ! to muster the persons employed on board 
the ship, or boat, or at the station i to require the 
master or employer, or the pereon in charge of the 
station, to give any explanation conocruing tho ship, 
boBt,or station, or men employed i to examine all the 
appliances, the diving dross, air pump, air-tubes, &e., 
and may by order in writing forbid tho farther use of 
it if, in his opiuion, itis unsafe or insuiScient. Provi- 
rion is made for appeal from tho inapcctot’s decision. 
It is also provided that periodical inspection of diving 
gear shall be made by the inspectors enry six mouths, 
the maximum and minimum penalties attaching tn the 
oSoDce of Dou-subniisiion on tho part of the master or 
employer tieing illUO and X28 respoctivoly- The 
maximum penalty for using condomned gear is 
£60, Should it appear to an iiispoolur that a con- 
travention of any of the proviBions of tlie Acta has 
beeu made the inspector has power, without summons, 
warrant, or other process, to take the offender and 
if nooeasary the ship or boat to which ho belongs and 
the crew before a justice, eiihet at a place appointed 
for holding oonrts of petty sessions or not, end tho 
inspector may detain the snip or boat until the alkgi d 
contravention has been adjudicated upon. Any person 
who romoves, except for the purpoaea of cultivation 
only within the colony, or sells or exposes for sale, 
any psarl oyster shell of tho kind sciontifioally known 
as Meletgriiia margaritifera, and of cither of the 
varieties eommouly known as “golden-edge" and “silver- 
iip,’’ of whicti the nacre or mother-of-pearl measures 
less than 6in. from tho butt or hinge to the opposite 
edge or lip, it made liable to a penalty not exceeding 
five pounds for every buoIi pearl oyster shell found 
in bis posaeasionj aud^ every bag or other receptacle 
eontainiug aboil iu which any such abell is found, and 
•very heap or other collection of abella in which any 
■uoh ahell is found, is to be forfeited. If, however, it is 
proved to the satisfaction of tho Governor -iu-Couucil 
that the ordinary size of any such pearl oyster ahell 
when full grown is, when found within any specified torii- 
torial waters of Queensland, of less size than that hereby 
preecribefi, tho Govemor-in-Council can byproolamalion 
direct that with respect to any such pearlsbell found 
within those waters other dimODsions shall be sat stltuted. 
In this oonnectioD it is also provided that in the case 
of any inch pearl oyster Shell of the variety commonly 
called “ dwarf shell,” an inspector may, on applioa- 
iiou, at his discretion autlioriso its removal or sale or 
exposition for sale notwithstanding that it is of lo-s 
size than that prescribed. All shell must be parked 
in rtoepUt les for exporation at some place on land, 
but this cannot be done until one week’s notice of 
intention to back has been given to the inspector. The 
tuaximum penalty for an offence sgainst this olaaso la 
*20, Provision is also made for the closing of bai ks. 
The Condition op Saiiawak.— 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 Office. The first town 
visited wav Muka, the centre of the sago indnstry. The 
stems of^ the s»go palm are cut in the upper reaches 
of the river, formed into rafts, and tioated down to 
Muka, wli ere tho pith is extractrd, «ad stamped on 
floors in such a mauiier that it falls iu the ehape of 
flour into boats placed beiew to receive it. The flour 
is then shipped to Kuching or Singapore, whore it is 
again cleaned and ahippedto its destination. Kuching, 
tho capital of the .State, is described as s model of 
oleanliuess and good order, poaseasing an excellent 
hospital and museum and vsrions educational institu- 
tions. Busob and Paku, in Upper Sarawak, were next 
visited ; at the former are extensive antimony works, 
and at the latter the Chinese work gold. The tpiartz 
ooutainmg the gold is either picked or blasted from 
clefts iu the limestone rocks* and conveyed to sheds, 
whore it is broken with a hammer worked by the foot, 
after the mauuer of a sewing machine, upon a granite 
anvil, into a flue duft, whioh ia washed in alnicee, and 
tho residue carefully “cradled,” as in Australia. 
Throughout Upper Sarawak there arc various experi- 
mental Government plantations ; those of pepper, 
tea, and coffee are doiog well, while tobacco has proved 
a failure. Tiio Sadong coal mines are being worked 
to advantage and tho prodnet expoited. Tho Oonanl 
then went to Sibu, on the Bojsng river, the largest 
stream iu the State, and one of the largest in Burneo, 
for it is navigable for veBsels drawing 7tt. to about 160 
miles fiom its mouth. Sibu is the largest out-station 
in Borneo, wilh a large population of Chinese traders, 
who oxohauge European goods for jungle prodnoe. Tho 
native popnlation of the district ia about 70,00(1, mostly 
Dyaks. but some idea of the diversity of thepopnlatiou 
will bo derived from the fact that 17 different languages 
ate spoken on tie Hejang alone. The dyaks of the 
district w'ere amongst the most formidable piratical 
hands infesting the coasts of Borneo less than 50 years 
ago. lUerois a oonsidorable timber trade from tbn 
Kejang. The Sarawak coaet is well lighted, and the 
Oonsnl reports that he found everywhere a thriving 
and contented pcpulalioo, while tho European offioers 
engaged in the administration are, in his opinion, equal 
in every respect to tliore serving her Majesty in similar 
oapaoities. Ihe revenue last year was 8413,112, and 
v‘ ® about S30,0tl0 less. Tho revenue ia 
derived irom opium, arrack, gambling and pawnbroking 
monopolies, and enstoms. The total foreign trade last 
year amounted to over 4i million dollars. The ohiof 
itcnisof expert were sago flour, $343,035 j gutta-perolia, 
$241 595; pepper, S237,476 ; rattans, $179,933; and 
gambler, 81.13,235 ; while the chief imports last year 
S237.737 ;and treasure, 
pitKSjUUia. ibe general impreesiou left by the ropori is 
°y well ordered, peaceful, progressive State, 
*'8“* taxation, all of an indirect character, and an 
oxpeudilute which is less than tho revenue by a sub- 
stantmlsnm.-Loodon rimes. 
* Auriferous granite in clefts of iimostono rock is, 
surely, a voiy rare formation?— Ed. J. 
