IG 
OrSTEE CULXUllE COillMISSION—iilKtJXES OE EVIDExVCE. 
ivrr. ir. 
Woodward. 
10 Nov., 1870. 
tlioHc tliat Iiavo ])oen wold at a low |)ricc in Melbounio, and not New South Wales oysters. We serve 
lialf tile shops ill Sydney, and we liave all p;ot the same oystci*s that Mr. Clarke lias. AVe only sell the 
oysters from two rivers, the Cape flawke and Clarence llivers. 
417. AWi have had oysters cxhiliited here not larger than that (exliihiting top of inkstand). Now will you 
bo "ood euou,ij:h to i^ive us your opinion—you must consider these (piestious not addressed personally but 
"generally—whether there arc not a ^reat many small oyster.s sold in Sydney at the jiresent time; not so 
many perhaps as were sold fonnerly, but still a great many ininiature oysters? AVell, 1 cannot say a 
great many. 1 am not afraid to tell the truth. I was walking along King-street the other day and 
1 certainly saw a number of small oysters, and the person who had-them wanted to buy some from us. I 
don't tliink it right to mcnlion his name, but at any rate the oysters were from one of our rivers. 
41S. J/r. JfurneIL~\ From a closed river? No, sir, the river is not closed. 
449. Chairman.'] Do you tliink any legislation is ne<;essary to prevent the sale of these A'cry small oysters ? 
1 think so; I would try and prevent it if 1 had the power. 
450. AVhat gauge do you think it would be advisable to adopt—it would be necessary to fix some size ? 
AV^cll, in some rivers I should think 2.1 inches would bo about a fair average.* 
451. And tliat the sale of all oysters which Avould pass through a 2^ ring should be prohibited? Yes, I 
think so; 1 do not mean every one, because there Avould always be here and tlicre in a bag some that 
Avould go through ; but 1 think the average should not be less than that. 
452. Don’t you think that if the |)ublie were supplied witli good oysters they would buy much more 
largely than they do while this rubbish is ^old? 1 sliould certainly think so. 
453. You Ihink the consumption would greatly increase ? Certainly. 
454. Do you not think it is to the interest of the oyster-dealers that there should be some legislation of 
that kiiul? Yes. 1 know avc have fried all Ave could to stop it. 
455. Do you think these skinny Avatery oysters are fit for food ? No. 
45G. There is no nourishment in them ? No ; and I do not believe they are fit for food. 
457. Then you think the Government would be quite as much justified in putting a stop to the sale of 
these small oysters as they are in prohibiting the sale of unAvholesome fish? Yes, 1 do think so. 
458. And if put on good fattening ground they AA'Ould grow and become good oysters ? You must under¬ 
stand that Avheii an oyster is out of season it is poor, no matter Avberc you put it or what it feeds ou ; 
you cannot make it fat until it comes to its season again. 
459. Certainly, but after it recovers its sickness it AA'ould become good wholesome food ? Certainly, if left 
where it Avas till its season came it Avould grOAV and become a good size. 
4G0. Have you formed any theory about the spawning of oysters—do you think they sjiaAvn all tiie year 
round? No, I do not think they spawn all the year round. 1 am certain beyond all doubt that ns a rule 
they spaAvn in March or April. 1 have paid great attention to this during the last tAvelvc months especially, 
and I have never knoAA'ii them to fail during those two months. 
461. That is only applicable to certain localities ? I could mention four difierent places Avlicre that rule 
holds good. 
4G2. They all spawn about the same time ? All about the same time. 
403. Have you not found spat in almost CA^ery month in the year in the lai’gc and small creeks ? Oh, yes. 
4G4. Then do you not infer from tlie finding of this spat at all times tliat some oysters, many or few, are 
spaAA'uiug all the year round ? Yes, 1 am sure there are some rivers Avhere oysters on one bed sjiawn one 
month and on another bed the next month. 1 kuoAV one place where all the dredge oyster.s spaAvn in 
October or November, and I am aAvare that those Avhich arc found doAvn near the sea are fit for eating 
all tlie summer, and spaAvn in the Avinter, just six months betAveeu them and the others. The dredge 
oysters are found in tlie upper part of the rivers and the bank oysters in the loAver. 
4G5. Do you think it necessary that there should be a close season during certain months of the year, 
Avhen no oysters should be sold?*^ I. don’t think it AA^ould be adA'isable ; I think if you could prevent those 
poor oysters from coming into the market, Avhiclx might be done under the Corporation laAvs, it Avould bo 
sulficient. 
406. You are of opiniou that there Avould ahvays be a sufficient quantity of good Avholesome oysters 
obtainable all the year round? Yes, Ave could get enough to go on Avith. They are not so abundant at 
certain times in the year. La-st year Avas a very bad year, oAviug to the long drought; none of our oysters 
to the north came on till after Christmas. 
4G7. Of course Ave Cannot ])rovide against natural draAvbacks, but I am spealcing of legislation. You do 
not think it necessary to prohibit the sale of oysters in the Sydney marlcet during any portion of the year ? 
I do not consider it necessary. 
4GS. A; ou tliink it Avill be sufficient to prohibit the sale of small oysters ? Yes. 
4G9. Mr. Farnell.] Would it be practicable or advisable to close part of a river—certain beds—during a 
stated time; would it be possible and practicable to fix the close season by legislation ? Oh yes, it Avould 
be practicable if you had_a proper person to inspect the beds. 
470. Chairman.] AVould it not be sufficient if these persons Avere prevented from offering oysters for sale 
in the market that Avere in bad condition ? I think so. 
471. Mon. J. B. Wilson.] Could they tell Avhether oysters Avei'e in bad condition Avitliout opening them— 
You stated just now that the Corporation authorities miglit prohibit the sale of poor oysters—Avould it 
not be very difficult to determine Avliich wore poor and Avliichwerc not; there might bo a quantity of good 
oysters in a bag, and there might be some bad ones? Jt Avould be very difficult to define wliicli were 
good and Avliicli AA^ere bad, 
472. You have stated that during all seasons you can get a sufficient fiuautlty of good oysters but arc 
they not got by the sacrifice of a great many poor oysters—that is to say, in getting the good ones do you 
not destroy a great number of poor ones ? AVcll, there are always a few poor ones ou the same bed 
^ Note [oh revUhm) \\*lieu before the Comiuiasioji yesterday J 
should it he of a size tliat it Avould not piiss through a 2 i-iueh ring. 
473. 
1 was askcil M’liat size should a fair groAvn oyster he, 
J msAveiyd yes, it should ])e of sueh a size. While 
Avould he a fair marketable oyster, and those that w'ouid not pass through 
AV'ales.— Hexky WoouAA’Aim. 11 Noav, 187 (>. 
through a ring 
a 2-iuch one avouIu be large for Now' South 
