OTSTEB CULTUBE COMMISSIOK—MUTUTES OP EVIDENCE. 
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655. You are aware also that there Is a kind of oyster that thrives best in mud ? Yes, some oysters Mr, P. James, 
succeed well in mud. I have heard of Cork Harbour turning out the best oysters, where the sewage from 
the town ran right through the harbour, but they are not the class of oysters we have here. Nov.,1876. 
656. Is not it necessary to the successful cultivation of oysters that there should be some fresh w'ater 
flowing into the beds at times ? I believe they always fatten best ■where there is a certain portion of 
fresh water coming into the bed, but where there is too much fresh water the oysters are insipid in taste. 
657. Do you know what the oyster feeds upon ? I do not. 
658. Now, speaking of small oysters such as the Chairman referred to as passing through a ring, notwith¬ 
standing that they are sometimes small they are still eatable ? Yes, I think some of our oysters that 
would go through a ring a little over an inch diameter would be found very good and eatable. 
659. And wc have different kinds of oysters—large and small kinds ? Yes, and we have oysters that are 
more cupped than others, that would pass thiwgh a 2J-inch ring,—or even a la-inch, and yet would 
have as much meat in them as some that would only go through a 3-inch ring. 
660. Do you think there would be any difficulty iu legislating so as to fix the age of the oyster as the test 
of its fitness for sale, rather than its size ? I do not see how you could do it. 
661. Then supposing the ago could not be fixed, is it your opinion that oysters should be classified and 
passed through rings of various sizes ? It would be rather a difficult thing to do. I cannot see how 
you would do it. 
662. It would not do to have one general gauge for all the oysters from the various rivers ? No. 
663. Tiien would it not be possible to provide a different gauge for oysters out of different rivers ? 
Well, I am afraid it would be hardly possible to do that, and you certainly could not fix upon one 
standard. 
664. For instance, you might fix the gauge for the Clarence Fiver at 2 inches; the Manning Eivei, 2^ 
inches ; and any other rivers, where the oysters were larger, at 3 inches; and for rock oysters, as the 
case might be ? It might perhaps bo done. 
665. That you think would be the]mactical way of doing it? That would be the way if you did it by a 
ring at all. Even in the Manning River, for instance, there are oysters which grow to a large size ; then 
again there are rock oysters, which are never anything but rock oysters, which you would have to 
legislate for ; so that you could never adopt one gauge for all the rivers. 
666. You are aware that the G-overnment closed a number of the rivers some years ago ? Yes. 
667. vSince the closing of those rivers, and up to the time of their leasing, a great many oysters have 
been taken out of them ? A great many were taken while they were closed—almost as many as there 
were before. 
668. For the want of persons to look after them ? Yes. 
669. Many of these rivers have been leased since ? Yes. 
670. Andliave they improved in productiveness since they were leased? Some of them; the Manning 
River has not; ■\ve are got'ting nothing off it, and we arc not dredging it to any extent. It was completely 
cleaned out when it was leased; all the oysters, young and old, were taken out promiscuously during the 
time it was closed. 
671. At what age do you consider that the oyster becomes eatable? Some grow much quicker tlian 
others; you might eat some at two years. I should say, on an average from three to four years they arc 
about the best eating. 
672. Do you kuow at what age the oyster first spawns—that is to say, when reproduction takes place ? I 
do not; it is a matter I luive never studied. 
673. I think you stated that there were eatable oysters all the year round? Yes. 
674. Notwithstanding the spawning season? Yes. 
675. And that oysters in the same bed do not spawn at the same time ? Yes. 
676. And that oysters iu this country generally ^awn all the year round ? There are certain places 
where oysters are spawning all the year round. Last year was an exception on the Clarence River. We 
got them fat all through the winter, while the year before we closed the river ourselves because the 
oysters were not fit to send to mt^ket. 
677. Do you think it would be wise to legislate so as to give the Governmeut power—notwithstanding 
that these natural beds might be leased to different persons—to close the rivers during the known periods 
in which tho^loysters are spawning; say, during the months of March and April? 1 do not see that it 
would be any good for tlie Government to do that. I cannot see how the Government could fix the 
spawning time. 
678. 1 suppose you are aware that it is quite possible to annihilate the oysters altogether? I am quite 
aware of it. 
679. Then, if some precaution be not taken to preserve them, the result will be that all the beds will be 
destroyed ? I think it ought to be left to the lessees themselves ; it is not to their interest to ruin the 
beds. " If the oysters are not fit for market they will not take them. When they have spawned they are 
simply iu a condition in which no one will buy them. 
680. Then you think that if the Government ^ve the lessees long leases, in order to encourage them, 
they would take care that sufficient time was allowed for the oysters to reproduce themselves ? Yes, f 
think self-interest would prompt them to do so ; they are doing it at the present time. 
681. And you arc clearly of opinion that, in order to encourage persons to cultivate oysters and to 
perpetuate the present natural Dods, it is necessary to ^ve them leases for not less than thirty years? 
Yes, I think nothing less will induce ])eople to risk their money on them to any extent. Wo have laid 
down 5,000 bags, and wo have to wait about three years before we know whether it will answer our 
purpose, and by that time there will not be veiy much time left for us out of the present lease. 
682. Do you think it would be wise on the part of the Government to lease the foreshore or such 
portions of the sea coast, or any part of a river, for a long term at a nominal rent in order to encourage 
cultivation ? I do think so; I think it would be good policy. 
683. You see these oysters on the table ? Yes. 
684. How many years have you been engaged in the trade ? About eighteen years. 
685. Do you remember some years ago that nearly the whole of the Sydney market was supplied from 
the Parramatta River, and with that kind of oyster ? I remember that a great many came from the Parra¬ 
matta River. 
686 , 
