STATE OYSTERS

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 213, 6 September 1916, Page 8

STATE OYSTERS

A GOOD YEAR. PUNISHMENT OF POACHERS. . (By Telegraph.—Special to the " Star.") WELLINGTON, this day. This season's output from the State oyster beds on the' Auckland coast was 939G sacks, and the amount realised was £6,714 18/6, leaving a net profit of £1,239, a portion of which is used to replant depleted areas. Of the quantity disposed of, 8,460 sacks were sold in Auckland and 64 in Wellington. Owing to the improvement of the beds the demand was fully met. Inspection by Mr Arson, chief inspector of fisheries, of Mangrove oysters north of Auckland showed that the quantities of these oysters _are not nearly so large as was thought. The task of caring for extensive oyster beds scattered in Auckland waters ie by no means , light. One of the problems that confronts the Department is that of the poacher. The Hon. R. McNab, Minister of Marine, who leavee for Auckland on. Friday, states that poaching lias been ■rife during the present season, and there had been a string of prosecutions. Magisjtrates were realising the gravity of the I offence, and the penalties inflicted were ■heavier than previously. If it were not for the vigilance exercised by the Department, the beds in some places would vanish entirely. The Minister added that formerly it was the custom to prosecute offenders and confiscate their boats. This practice wae revoked by a former Minister of Marine, and, although offender.* were pHeecuted, their hoate were not taken from them. The result was.. that poaching increased to such an extent that last year he reverted to the old system. Boats are now confiscated. He added that, although poaching wae going on everywhere, it wae not to any alarming extent. As time -went on it might be necessary to adopt some new system for safeguarding the beds—a system, for instance, euch ac that in vogue In France, where Government planted the roadsides in certain places with fruit trees and when they were in full bearing leased them to members of the public. It folio-wed that with private interests'; concerned there was a strict system of supervision. One of the oyster beds, that at Motuihi, was not now available, as German prisoners of war were interned there. .