GREAT NATIONAL ASSET

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 53, 4 March 1926, Page 7

GREAT NATIONAL ASSET

AUSTRALIAN SHALE BEDS. ' RICH IN OIL. REPORT TO PARLIAMENT. ■By Ca!>le.—Press Association.— Coryrigbt.) (Receivc-d :2.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE, this day. A report likt- been tabled in the Federal House of Representatives concern- i in, investijration- into the possibilitVs (>i the development of the oil and shale deposits of tln> Commonwealth ami of the production within Australia of liquid fuels nnd power ak-ohol from lo'-al , material. I The rrport \vn- made witli a view of i ascertaining the best moans whereby Australia can bo male less dependent upon oversea =ouitps for oil require- ' ments. I It is pnintpd out in the report that in New South Wales it is estimated there are 40.0f1n.000 tons of p'na'.e, representing 3..">0O.000.0O0 callous of oil. Part of this is stated to be one of the richest shale field? in the world, avcraainjr in actual distillation about 101 gallons to the ton. Tn Tasmania probably the reserves of shale can l>e set down at 42.000.000 ton>. uverasinpr about 40 gallons to the ton. This denosH i* nioro accessible and mcir? e?silv mined than tho=e in New South Wale-, and it is considered that from

a pommerriel standpoint, its development would be more favourable on

ac-coiint of tb" lower working co~ts

It if con-iderod thflt the continuance of the Commonwealth bounty of rt'd per f-allon is r«<--entinl to the successful conclui t r>f the industry and N.Z.)