OYSTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1811, 12 May 1874, Page 3

OYSTERS.

TO tllO Editor Of tllO' THAM3 ADVERTISER. Sis,—l saw by the papers the other day that soma member of the Proriacial, ; Government is about to bring forward a*;-/ motioa to consider the oyster beds of the ' province. With your permissioa I will > say a few words about it. If the Government promt the wholesale exportation of oysters to Sydney aad Melbourne, of which half or more go to waste, and are . thrown overboard, they would go a ! long way towards preventing the oysters running out, and would leave plenty,for home consumption without ■ dosing the x oyster grounds, and, thus- throwing a \, number of man outof employmant whose boats would become useless to them; for want of'profitable employment. The consumption of oysters on the Chames is " from ten to twelve sacks weekly. If the other parts of> (he provmoe , are equally moderate, what reason is there for preventing people enjoy-; • irig these oysters when they can ■' get them? Is that protecting native „•' industry? How about the men Who 1 support oyster getting and selling ? Hayo they no vested rights to protect; and will the Government prevent tho natives from, getting and selling oysters? I rather I think not. The natives won't see it, but', will reap a rich harvest at the expense of their white brethren. x The member whilst about it ought to. get the seas closed for fishing, and then get this couu-. try fenced in. It is hard enough nowfor poor men to get a living without making., more laws to prevent them. The Government would be right to prevent persons burning oysfcers,wholesale for lime, as I, hear used to be done in Auckland, but not when used as an article of food as now.—l am, &o;, Josbpe Lowndes. May 8,1874 >