22 
OYSTER CULTURE COMMISSION—MINUTES OF EVIDENCE. 
Mr. P. James. G20. Hon. J. B. Wilson.^ You have stated to ua that joxi have laid down a number of young oysters on 
the natural beds which you have leased from the Government ? Yes. 
13 Nov., 1876 621. Have you taken any stens to improve those beds? No. 
(522. Do you think if they had longer leases, the lessees would go to any expense to improve their beds ? 
Yes, I think so. We have put ourselves to the expense of perhaps £200 in laying down these oysters, 
and we know they will not come to maturity for three or four years. If we take them up then wo might 
ruin the bed, while if Ave left them for another four years they might give us a good return. 
623. For what length of time do vou think these areas ought to be leased ? I think they should be 
leased for a certain time, with tlio right of renewal if the leased areas Averc found in good con¬ 
dition. 
624. But without that right of renewal, what period do ;^ou think would be a fair thing ? About thirty 
years, to induce people to lay out their money in improA'ing the beds. 
625. And do you think that if they got thirty years leases the lessees Avould object to any stringent regu¬ 
lations that at the end of that time they should give up the beds in a fair average working state—say the 
average condition of the previous five years ? I cannot see why they should object ; I don’t think any 
reasonable man would object. 
626. If the leases Avero for thirty years, do you think a condition like that would be reasonable ? I think 
it would ; still it would be a greater inducement if the Government were to gi\*e, upon a A^aluation of the 
river to show that it avbs improved, the right to a reneAval of the lease. 
627. Do you think if the Government gaA^e a long lease to the portions of the rivers or estuaries that at . 
present are not oyster-beds, people Avould he induced to try and form oyster-beds in them ? No, not 
under present circumstances. 
62S. You think that depends upon the success of the experiments that arc being made ? Yes. 
629. Don’t you think — seeing that Mr. Holt is turning out such fine oysters — that they would be induced 
to folloAv his example? I should bo very glad to see Mr. Holt’s oyster beds and to gain Avhat experience I 
could from him ; Ave want a great deal of experience in this country yet. There is no doubt plenty of 
persons would follow his example if they could see their Avay clear. 
630. In that Avay you would be able to keep up the supply, whatever the consumption might be ? Yes. 
631. And if the local demand Avas not c(|ual to the supply, oysters Avould be preserved and become an 
article of export ? Yes ; I believe there Avould bo plenty of persons Avho Avould preserAC them. 
632. Arc you aAvarc that almost all the gold-field toAAms in this Colony are supplied with American pre¬ 
served oysters ? Yes; 1 knoAv a great quantit}' of them come in. 
633. Do you knoAV the A'alue annually of the export of oysters from the town of Baltimore in America ? 
I do not. 
634. It is very large ? So I have heard. 
635. It amounts to tw'o millions sterling per annum? Wo have some splendid oysters here, but they 
have been slaughtered in this country, there is no doubt of it. Wo liave a great quantity of oysters at 
Cape Hawke, because that has had a ten years’ rest. It is to our interest to get good oysters, and avo 
. must get them good. 
636. Is tliat bed at Cape HaAvke greatly improved ? Yes, since Ave have had it. We could take 5,000 
bags of marketable oysters from it now Avithout hurting it. 
637. T]»at is the bed called Wallace Lake, is it not ? Yes. 
638. Have you laid doAvn any oysters there ? None at all — that is the natural increase of the bed itself ; 
It is nearly ten years since it was drained out, and it has taken all that time to recover. 
639. Was it closed by the Govemmeut before you took it ? No, I think not. The Clyde River before it 
was leased by the GoAxrnment Avas completely cleaned out—there AA'as not a shell left on the bottom for 
the oysters to stick to. 
640. Can you refresh your memory sufficiently to say hoAv long it is since you lea.sed the Wallace Lake. 
My object in asking the question is to see how many years it lias taken to improve ; I don’t think 
you have had it in your possession for ton years ? No, tliat is not the time Ave have had it to preserve ; 
that is the time since it was cleaned out. 
641. Can you recollect the number of years you have had it ? Somewhere about three years. 
642. Have you the Clyde River at present ? No, Mr. Gibbins has the Clyde River. 
643. Are you aware whether they are improving there now or not ? I do not know ; it takes a long time 
Avhen a river is cleaned out. 
644. Mr. Farnell.'] Speaking of this place at Balmain, do you think it a suitable place for improving or 
fattening oysters ? I don’t think it is. 
645. Don’t you use it more as a place for storing oysters previous to bringing them into market? 
Certainly, to some extent. 
646. Is it not very limited in area ? It is rather limited. 
647. Tlie beach I think is not very extensive ? No. 
648. What is the Avhole area, do you think, at Balmain—You have enclosed it, have you not? No, we 
have only a place Avhero Ave store the oysters for a time. Then when Ave get any in the -winter which are 
not fat Ave sometimes lay them down there, but we never find them improve. 
649. Is not the bottom rather rocky at Balmain ? Yes, above low-water-mark. 
650. Ajid what beach there is is rather of a sandy nature ? It is sandy Ijelow low-water-mark, but from 
the rocky point up to our shed it is simply gravel; it is Avhen you get to the other side of our shed again 
that you find sand, but it is on the point avo find that we can fatten oysters best. 
651. Hie tliairmau said something to about London clay—Do you knoAV of your own kiiOAvledge 
Avhether Ave have any of that clay hero r No, I have never taken notice of it. 
652. Do you think that the oystermeu and others employed in dredging oysters could give us any infor¬ 
mation as to the character of the soil or clay in the various rivers ? I believe if you give them time tliey 
Avould do it, but you Avould have to instil into them Avhat yon ivant. Wlion they dredge for oysters tlmy 
take up a portion of the soil at the same time, and they could save specimens of it for you to examine if 
you Avishod. 
653. Some of them have been dredging in these rivers for many years, have they not ? Yes ; we have a 
man named Fraser who has been dredging nearly all his life. 
654. You are aAvare, I presume, from your own experience, that soft mud or raw sand is not suitable for 
the cultivation of young oysters ? Of course, I am Avell aware of that, because it smothers them. 
655 . 
