THROUGH THE DESERT

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 246, 17 October 1922, Page 3

THROUGH THE DESERT

IN SEARCH OF OIL. AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. (I-"r.;ni Our Own ( irre»t:ondenl.) SYDNEY, October 12. The oil prowpecting party which was missing for six months anil of which news has now come to hand, is reported to have discovered good oil-bearing land. The prospecting party, consisting of a camel team, seven whites »nd two aboriginals, headed by Mr. 1.. T. Jones, formerly of the Geological Survey Brunch of the Mines Department, journeyed into the Western Australian desert on behalf of the Locke Oil Development Syndicate rarly in the year- Now. one of the members'after a 300-mile ride over the sandy wastes on an express camel, has brought news of the find.

The expedition, which cost £5)100 to | fit out. and is considered to be the best fitted out since that of Burke and Wills, left Lenora and struck north. It arrived safely at Libra., on the Canning stock route, which traverses Western Aus-» tralia. There a main camp was estab- ' lishod. and some of the members of the party struck further into the north east. Mr- Lorke is concerned about the safety of these men, who are camper! in the vicinity of Rturt's Creek, where the natives a re'dangerous. A short time ago the natives killed two whites, and as they have firearms the members of the expedition are in danger of their lives. Two more men are being sent to strengthen the party, together with nn assortment of firearms and plenty of ammunition. It is expected that -by the end of next month the party will have made a survey of 48,000 square miles of territory, over which it has the right to prospe-c't.