THE OYSTER QUESTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13484, 10 May 1907, Page 3

THE OYSTER QUESTION.

Sir,-—I agree with Mr. Albert J. Alloa thai there arc many miles of foreshore in the Hauraki Gulf "where as an article ol food the oyster is practically extinct," This is easily explained by the fact that in pa*t ages the beds were never properly thinned outin fact, not interfered with b? nian-r----as the Maoris did not us» oy3tcrs for food. Oysters, of course, overlapped each other, and in many places there was a foot of decaying shells under the outer crust that was taken off by the pafceha oysfermen. It could not bo expected- that any oyster would form on decaying shells. Nature will not tolerate such a thing. We have revor made any attempt to clcan off the shells from tho — rocks, which have now, in many places, rotted off, and barnacles taken possession of the rocks. As Mr. Allom says, Nature always provides-some remedy for her own overcrowding." In this caso wo may find the barnacle!} afflicted with some disease, and oysters again take possession. Of course this never can happen if the oysters are all skinned off and none remain to spawn, which is evidently the .intention, of the iuspoctor by opening only Rakino and other stripped areas for this season's supply. Tl>o only sensible course is to open areas when tho oysters are matured, and close the grounds when all tho matured oysters are gathered. If this course is adopted we shall have cheap oysters for years to come, and no danger of the rock oyster becoming extinct. The grounds that wero first picked by the whlto man are now tho best oyster-beating areas. Any man able to reason must seo that by thinning out systematically, and always leaving enough oysters to keep up the Mipplv of spawn, we attain the maximum of production by .Nature. Of course, wo may be able to increase production by artificial cultivation, but the time for that has, not arrived. Good oyster beds in the Hauralsi Gulf are undoubtedly going back for tho want of thinning out, while the people are anxiously waiting for a supply. ; ':ci s ,i May 8. : *A. Saskobd