OYSTER CULTURE COMMISSION — MINUTES OF EVIDENCE. 
37 
1235. Arc there any in fclio mangrove swamps? Not a great many ; there arc on tlio Jji’isbauo Water Mr. \V. J. 
side. Mr. G-ibbina only uses the Ilawkcsbury; he does not use the Brisbane Water aide at all. Langham. 
1230. I am not asking you what ho uses, but what he claims an exclusive right to ? lie claims a right to 
the whole of it. 21 ^ov., 18/6, 
1237. Theii were you right in staling that the area to which he claims exclusive right is 10,000 acres? I 
should say it is a good deal more, but 1 have no means of ascertaining the exact area. 
1238. How much do you think then he can claim under his present lease? 1 slioukl say 20,000 acres or 
more. 
1239. And in this area there are mangrove swamps as well as rocks ? Yes. It is to the rocks chiefly that 
spawn attaches ; there are mangroves, but most of the young oysters are on the rocks. 
1210. Does Mr. Gibbins make any use of these young oysters ? Ho lays some of them down for a few 
months and shifts them—tliat is all. 
1211 . The oysters are knocked oft' the rocks and mangroves, and ho lays them down to a small extent? 
Yes. 
1242. Have you any idea to what extent he does this ? Ho lias laid down perhaps 4,000 or 5,000 bags 
there—that is all. 
1243. Now, can you give us any idea what proportion those he has laid down hear to the oysters rcmaiuiug 
on the rocks and mangroves? No proportion at all; you could not tell where they were taken from. 
1244. Tlioy are like a mere drop in a bucket of water ? Yes. 
1245. Then there must be a vast quantity of young oysters going to waste ? Yes ; I think there is enough 
spat in Broken Bay to supply half the rivers working at the present time. 
124G. What is the next river leased ? George’s Eiver comes next. 
1247. AVHmt do you think is the area of the George’s Eiver lease? I sliould think about 5,000 or 0,000 
acres at least. 
1248. Including Botany Bay ? No ; there must be 20,000 acres, or more, including Botany Bay. 
1249. Who is the lessee ? Mr. Albert Emerson. 
1250. AVliat rent does he pay? £131 a-year. 
1251. Does he claim the whole of Botany Bay as well as George’s Eiver ? Yes. 
1252. And all the creeks running into it ? Y'es. 
1253. And you estimate the area at 20,000 acres ? Yes, or more. 
] 254. What do the beds and banks consist of? Chiefly rock. 
1255. Are there many young oysters stickiu" to the rocks ? Yes, a good few. 
1256. Does Mr. Emerson carry out the conditions of the Act as regards laying down and forming oyster 
beds ? Y'es ; he has laid down a large bed in front of his place. 
1257. Young oysters takeu from the rocks and mangroves ? Yes ; most of them off the rock.^. 
1258. Can you give us any idea what proportion the oysters ho lias laid down bear to those which remaiu 
on tho rocks? You would hardly miss them from the rocks where they were taken. 
1259. Then there arc a great number ot oysters left on the rocks which might be converted into valuable food, 
if they were placed on suitable ground where they would grow aud fatten ? A great many on the George’s 
Eiver, below high-water-mark, grow themselves ; they are not so thick there as in some places. 
1200. What was tho general character of tho oysters on tho natural beds in Botany Bay and George’s 
Eiver, before*they were leased ? I could uot say wliat they were before they were leased. 
1201. lion. J. IS. W'^^lson.^ Had they the reputation of being very liifc oysters ? Yes, always. 
1202. Tlien, would not you gather from that that there must bo some quality in connection with Botany 
Bay aud George’s Eiver that would make them suitable places for laying down oysters and Ibrming beds ? 
Yes. 
1203. Has Mr. Emerson succeeded with tho oysters he has laid down—have they grown well ? Yos, very 
well. 
1204. AVliich is the next river that is leased ? The Shoalhaven Eivei\ 
1205 . Who is the lessee ? Mr. Johnson. 
1260. What do you estimate the area of his lease to be ? Erom 5,000 to 10,000 acres or more; there is a 
good extent of it, because there is tho Crookhaven Eiver as well. 
1267. What are the banks aud beds of tho Shoalhaven Eiver? Chiefly mud. 
1208. Are there any mangrove swamps ? Yes, a great deal of mangrove. 
1209. Arc there a great many young oysters on the mangroves ? Yes, great quantities. 
1270. What has the lessee done in connection with laying down and forming oyster beds there? Ho lias 
laid down a few oak saplings at different places, to put oysters on, but lie has made very little improvement 
_ 1^0 generally takes the young oysters off the mangroves aud lays them down in deep water to grow, 
but he does not leave them there for any length of time. 
1271. He has not made improvements to any largo extent ? No. 
1272. What proportion of tho oysters on the mangroves does he take off ? Y'ou could hardly notice what 
ho takes away. o -rr -i i 
1273. There 'are so many of them : Yes ; and they grow very fast. I liavo seen ])laccs where they have 
boon taken off, and six months afterwards you would not know that any had been taken. 
1274. But in the places where he lays them down they do grow, only that he docs uot leave them there long 
enough ? No only for a few months. 
1275. And he persists in sending oysters to Sydney in an immature state? Y'es. 
1276.. Arc there many suitable places for growing oysters on this river? Y'es. 
1277. Where they would grow and fatten well ? Yes. 
1278. What is the next river? Durass Lake. 
1279. AYho is the lessee ? Mr. Bartley. 
1280. What rent docs he pay ? £5 a year. 
1281. What is tho area of the leased ground? 1 should think about 1,000 or 1,500 acres or more. 
1282. AYhat is the nature of the banks aud beds of tho river ? Chiefly mud and swamp. 
1283. Are there any mangrove swamps ? No. 
12S4. To what does the spat attach itself? To tho whelk. 
1285. Are there any good oyster beds there ? \"es, the oysters are very iiiio there. 
1286. AVhat is the difference in the beds since they were leased—have they improved or otherwise ? They 
are greatly improved since they were leased. 1287. 
