OYSTER CrLTURE CO^rMTSSIOX—H£NUTK8 OP ETIPEXCE. 
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350. Do you remember whore they commenced to dredge wlien tliey discovered these oysters ? They Mr. D. 
were getting some at Pyrmont, I believe. ‘ Clarke. 
351. And then they continued up the channel to Charity Point ? Yes. ■ '—'—'—' 
352. Arc there any of tlie same kind of oysters now in the Parramatta Eiver ? They are almost wholly 1876. 
deteriorated. 
353. What has been the reason of that? Over-dredging, beyond all doubt. 
354. That is to say, the whole of the oysters were dredged aiid none left to spawn and breed ? Just so. 
355. Have you tried to take up any lately ? Last winter 1 saw a few, pcrliajjs a couple of dozen, got off 
the bottom, but that is all. 
35G. These oysters were attached to each other? No, tliey were single; you may perhaps among the 
very young ousters find a few attached to each other, but tbey separate very easily. 
357. Then it is a fact beyond all doubt that the deterioration of the oyster beds in the Parramatta Eiver 
has been cau.sed by over-dredging ? Without any doubt. 
358. You have spoken of the beds on the Manning and other rivers as iiaving been destroyed by floods,— 
is it the fresh water that kills them or the mud that smothers them ? They get covered over ; i'u one river 
the whole of the oysters were smothered with sand. 
350. Are you aware that the bed of the Hunter Eiver, or some portions of it, has very thick beds of shells 
on it ? Yes. 
3G0. Can you give tlie Commission any idea liow these dead oyster-shells come there;—w'as'it from the 
floods destroying tlie oysters from time to time ? That has always been sujiposcd to bo the reason, but it 
lias never been clearly ascertained; there are immense banks of shells there to the present day—any 
amount of shells on the Hunter, 
3GI. You are aware that large quantities of oysters used to bo taken out of the Hunter for the purpose of 
burning lime ? Yes, 1 have seen it myself; I have seen boat-loads of oysters taken up which, if in 
England, would be worth ten guineas a busliel. 
362. Eeferring to the bed on the Manning Eiver bar, where you say the oysters fatten so well,—what has 
destroyed tliat bod ? The floods have done that. 
363. The deposit of sand or mud from the floods has totally destroyed it? Yes, and it is not the second 
or third time that it has done it. 
364. Arc the oysters lying on the bottom ? Yes, lying on the bottom just inside the bar. 
365. Not on the bar, but just inside it ? Yes : it is a great pity to see it, 
366. It is your opiuiou that oysters in this country spawn all the year round ? Yes. 
367. Eut not all at the same time ? No. 
368. Therefore there arc always a quantity of eatable oysters ? Yes, we can always get them. In fact, 
in the same river oysters will be spawning in one part of it and not in the other, either higher up or lower 
down ; hut there arc always a quantity of fine eatable oysters. 
369. Are you aware that they spawn at different times in the same river? Y'es, they must do, or how 
M'ould you account for some of them being poor and others fat? They are always poor directly after 
spawning: Air. Holt says, tlie Inspector would condemn them for that, but there is notliing the matt(n’ 
with them except tliat they luivc been spawning. 
370. Then doiiT you til ink they ought to have a period of rest wlicn they may spawn? Oh yes; if I found 
the oysters poor on one lied, J should go to another bed in the same river wiiore 1 could get good ones. 
You could not close the river. 
371. What I want to ascertain is this — whether liy the non-closing of these rivers the oysters will not be 
altogether obliterated, as has been the case in the Parramatta Eiver. If there is to he no close season, and 
the oysters are to be taken indiscriminnlely, would not tlie final result be that the whole of the oysters in 
the river would he ainiiliilated ? It woukl take a very great number of years. 
372. If you go on dredging a river without giving the oysters time to spawn, must not you destroy them 
by not allowing them to breed ? 1 cannot say, 1 am sure. ] can only speak of the Clarence Eiver with 
respect to the jiroduction of oysters. 
373. Suppose you were to kill ewes \n lamb or cows in calf, would you not destroy their progeny ? 
Certainly. 
874. If you destroy spawning oysters is it not the same ? The yield of oysters is so immense. 
375. What is the yield of an oyster, do you know? I do not know; some people say a million. 
376. Well, notwithstanding that you can, us you say, get eatable oysters during the whole yeai% the persons 
who dredge for them do not use much discrimination in taking them, whether they are spa-wuing or not ? 
Oh yes, they will not take them if they are spawning^.^ 
377. 'How do tliey know whether they arc spawning if they do not open tliem? There is no occasion to 
do that—you can see tlie spawn floating about. The oysters are not good when they are spawning. 
378. What are these poor skinny oysters ? They arc poor after spawning. 
379. Have you had much experience in the collcetiou of oysters off the rocks ? I have used a great 
number of them. 
380. Do you get as good and fat oysters off the rocks near low-water-mark as you do out of the rivers? 
Yes, sometimes, but they arc not so tliick. 
381. Are the oysters in Middle Harbour, and on the rocks down the bay, as far as Shark Island, as largo 
as those higher up the Parramatta Eiver ? There used to be some very 'fine ones in Middle Harbour some 
years ago; T liave not seen tliem of late. 
382. Are you aware tliat the oysters do not grow so large near the sea-coast-^that tlie saltness of the water 
affects their growth ? I was not aware of it. 
383. Do you know from experience that oysters grow bettor in a place where fresh water and vegetablo 
matter flow in and mix with the saltwater? I know that from my experience on the Clarence 
Eiver. 
384. Do you know whether there are male and female oysters ? No. 
385. Do you know how they get their food? No. 
386. You have had more to do with dealing in oysters than in cultivating them — in piireliasing them and 
selling them again ? Yes. 
387. I think you stated that when the rivers were closed a great many oysters were stolen? Yes 
that used to be the case, but since the rivers have been leased that has been put a stop to, to a great extent* 
388. Do you, as a lessee, adopt any means of improving your beds ? AYe do not take up young oysters! 
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