STEWART’S ISLAND.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4338, 13 February 1875, Page 2

STEWART’S ISLAND.

We are privileged to publish the following extracts from the last quarterly report (December 31st, 1874) received from Captain Grigg, the Custom-house officer, stationed at Stewart’s Island :—- According to the census taken last March, the population of Stewart’s Island was :

Some of the settlements would now show a somewhat greater population, others again* a smaller ; but, on the whole, the above figures will not be very wide of the truth for the present time. The births registered during the year were nine ; deaths, four—of which one was an infant under a year, another a male over eighty. SHIP-EUILDING. Besides the two vessels in process of construction, mentioned by me formerly, namely, one at Half-Moon Bay (about sixty tons), and one at The Neck (about fifteen tons), there are three others being built at Paterson’s Inlet, of a size suitable for oystering. Boat-building is also carried on at various parts of the island. OYSTER PISHING. According to the fishermen’s own account the late season has been a profitable one for all engaged in oyster dredging, notwithstanding that the weather has been, from its general stormy character throughout the whole season, unfavorable to the prosecution of such work. The oyster-bed—that situated near Half Moon Bay, which has an area of a little over a mile square—begins to show just an appreciable diminution in the quantity of oysters on it —a circumstance not to be wondered at, when it is considered that it has exclusively supplied tho market with oysters during the last two years (with tho exception of a cargo or two of rock oysters taken from Port Pegasus during the close season). It will probably do so for another (the coming) year, hut not necessarily so, for there is another oyster-bed about two miles to tho westward of this one, equally large, equally clear of rooks, and equally rich; in fact, it is supposed that the oysters are lying a foot or more thick on it, only it is not so conveniently come-at-able to a person living at Half Moon Bay, and the water is a little deeper on it than on the Half Moon Bay bed. SEALING AND SEA ELEPHANT HUNTING. So far as I have. been able to learn, sealing has likewise been a profitable venture. Two “mobs" sent out by an Invercargill merchant —one consisting of four men, who were landed on the Snares ; the other, of two men who were put on the Solandor —returned bringing, with them jointly 10G5 skins, which brought them 235. per skin. Sea-elephant hunting at the Macquarrios, on the other hand, has not had such success, attributable, however, not to the scarcity of these animals, but to tho recent stormy weather. Two vessels, both of Invercargill, engaged in that enterprise ; the one 285 tons, tho other 115 tons. The larger vessel landed two boats’ crews, with casks sufficient to hold forty tuns oil. On the same day the smaller vessel lauded one boat’s crew, with casks for eighteen tuns. At this time the sea elephants were seen iu great numbers ; but following tho landing of tho men came heavy gales of wind, which drove both vessels off tho coast. The larger vessel lost both anchors in getting under way, and both vessels sustained damage by the sea, and ran to New Zealand for repairs—one of them to The Bluff, tho other to Dunedin. Having been absent from the island about five weeks, both vessels returned to it and got their men and oil safely on board; the smaller vessel (Sarah Pile) leaving the place, and coming direct to Port William. She arrived here on the 27th December, with tho eighteen tuns of oil taken from the island, and reports that she left the other vessel (Chance) at anchor on the coast of the Macquarries, and also that the sea-ele-phants had deserted the place at which tho men left on shore had been located, and were only to bo seen where landing was unsafe. The season for their showing up in large numbers had passed, for , the natural impulse of theso animals to take to the shore only exerts itself about tho months of September and March, After remaining at Port William for four days, tho Sara Pile sailed on a whaling cruise, both this vessel and the Chance having been fitted out for whaling.

WHAUNG. Reports bare reached me of several whalers haying been seen in the vicinity of the Solandcr, but no whaler has visited this place since March or April last, excepting the two vessels mentioned above. THE TIMBER TRADE. The sawmill at Half-Moon .Bay is still in operation. During the year the quantity of timber exported from it would be about 280,000 superficial feet.

— Males F’mls. Total. HALF Males PASTES F’rals. At Port 'William .. 20 14 34 5 1 Jt Horseshoe Bay 0 3 12 1 1 ,, Half-Moon Bay 28 22 , 50 4 3 ,, Paterson’s Inlet 14 , 12 20 4 7 ,, The Neck 25 21 46 22 •10 ,, Port Adventure 2 2 1 Totals.. 98 72 170 Included in the above are sr 31 The number of inhabited houses was . 33