OYSTER-BEDS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 800, 25 April 1910, Page 4

OYSTER-BEDS.

i MUCH DEPLETED. i. NO PICKING THIS YEAR. tßy TelcsraDb—Eceeial Correroondom... ' f- Auckland, April. 23. ; Tho news-that- no.oysters arc to -be pickcd from the North loland -beds, this J, f seasbn ■ has-created -mild consternation !/. i- in i Auckland;amongst.' lovers- of-tho ■ bii; .valve. Tho Collector of Customs (Mr. ;5• Ridings) - has' received, ■tho (Mowing- - in--etructions from the Marino-Department : inspection shows that the ..'oySter-beds have:not sufficiently r recoyered from..the ■ , (3ep]etioh.-''csiuaed.' ; 'bli''private licensed pickers. Investigation i ; shows that: there nre ' not', sufficient 'mature oysters for thfe 'thp (.si? beds picked by tho Department during !:■;,. the .last. twp. years.';.; .All tho .bed ß ) . Kowiii good, condition as!: regards' 5 ybun£ oysters, and,. after this .'year, will fe: :: no doubt.'meet the -demands made every' i;-.'yeat., Under'' the .'circumstances- it'has. been decided/that -nd 'oysters shall be g'.-wpipked'. in the ■ North' Island ■ this year. V J:V : ; ''The iinstructions- ; are plain: enough,'' i-. : said Mr.' Ridings,- when, speaking to 'a i. ' "Star"-' reporter. this-"morning/ "and there 'will not Ha the usual opening of •: «■ the; season on May.l. A close: season i -.V .will: be\ preserved for', tho' next ..'twelve, ? •<';; xponthsl' aiid' a very strict watch will be j: 'j;-jmaiptaiiietl .to seo ;that': no. ...poaching. jgoes-on.'i Where ,wo can catch-; anyone --- picking- oysters,- wo . will press for the ■ V;?; yery heaviest ; penalty - that .the.- law? al-' 1 1.. lows.- TJndor the. system, of. 'Depart-' t : ,;.;i,jnentel. ; control-, we.--, are"' getting ;v.the'i h:;/; Auckland'oy'fer-beds into. a : >very \ good' !condition, and' : the■ young"' oysters-'are 'rooming on splendidly.- . The".' Depart,: merit ;isdow' busy'p3antmg:ffesh"'oyster-' down ,'Coromaridol : way,. .in tho vicinity, of- Te' Soniia andManaia. ;Somo fourteen scowrloads of; rocks' on which fjronng :. oysters are growing- hare - been I?;.';; taken, from the AVaiheke.and. other, beds. j%;y,wHpM 'the' Golf, and planted at the two f-; ;i places! .named'/-; under-the direction.-.of J.;'.: Mr.' Ayson (Chief Inspector) and Mr. fci. .',' (Local Inspector of; Fisheries). fe/'^Noiiices.have -.been, .posted cautioning f-: : :people thatythese-. Hew .beds must* nbVbe t' : . : touched, and any poaching will''be' ...hoayily punished." ; Vf . ■ .. . .jThe picking Which has gone' t}:'.;Vthei;last .fpw : ye3rs ; .:Mr,.Ridingsadds, ,' has led to v a depletion of', the'..'more -maturo,oysters, , and there haa not-.been kJ jthe-amount.bf spatting required,.by. the f'.-i'- closing, dovrn'tHs season. The Collector p!'.-:,of\ Cnstoms l: thinks \that 'the' Auckland - oyster-beds ■will'presently be -in'such an at 'state , that - a V supply. WiU. be r. gnarantee'd for years' to come. ;' f /-' will, .therefore,.'haye ; to depend chiefly on-Bluff and Stewart Island v. -oysters, this season. ,Nono of'the beds h. -in the Hauraki Gulf or; Bay of Islands ,-;:"; will be"iotich'ed,-' and-, the only;, island: i,v -.: ,-.irhei«i.picking, can be,; . carried-. ;.on :is KawaUj which."does n'ot' eome within' the ; the Marine Department, I;:,': ij as;a; ;fesiilt'' of 'Sir) George' Grey' haVing. the ownership irights'.; to"- JowV.[ water mark. ~