GOLD AND OIL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 237, 7 October 1930, Page 6

GOLD AND OIL.

POSSIBILITIES IN NEW ZEALAND. - (To tlie Editor.) Your correspondent "Grandad" in to be heartily congratulated on his common-sense letter in your paper; Regarding his references to oil and gold, petroleum ha 3 'been demonstrated as existing in the Dominion •with, definite, certainty. Jt is true, that a payable iielcl lias not yet materialised, but it may 'be stated that the potentialities cf big paying iiclds arc- excellent in botl» the North and .South Inlands. Probably n» Government iu the -world lias been so apathetic aufl indifferent to its oil possibilities a<3 New Zealand's. It is doubtful if at th« present time the Government lias a single penny invested in oil works in its owe Dominion, and little encouragement is given to private workers. I shall probably be reminded thai we. have a geological research, department in operation, but careful inquiry fails to reveal * single instance where any of its officiate have located and recommended a single oil-boring sitCj and this in a country where millions are spent per year on petroleum and its products, mainly from America. In tho South Island of Xew Zealand, are at least 100 ; 000 ; 000 yards of rich and easily-worked, gold-bearing -wash waiting the advent of thousands of unemployed men to work under proper organisation. Every man could make wages and more. This gold country in useless as farm lands, and the writer of this is prepared to demonstrate his assertion when he states that men under the most primitive conditions can make a living from the gold-strewn river beaches. A good deal is made these days of -what are called primary industries, but it in as well to bear in mind that no primary, industries would have been possible in New r Zealand if it had not been for the gold obtained in the early days. It is a practical certainty that there is "more gold left than was ever got, and if only reasonable prospecting assistance were rendered by the Government under expert superintendence it would result in '"Good-bye unemployment."' GRANDSON.