EAST COAST ACTIVITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 137, 13 June 1938, Page 9

EAST COAST ACTIVITY.

COMMENT BY MINISTER. I (By Telegraph. —Own Correspondent.) GISBORXE, this day. The opinion that the finding of oil at Totangi Dome, Gisborne, would he of threat economic importance to the Dominion in general and the ( onst in particular was expressed by the Minister of Education and Health, the Hon. P. Fraser, prior to leaving Gisborn© on Saturday. Mr. Fraser paid the present activity was under the control of the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, but he could sav with confidence that the big oil interests would not have undertaken searches had there not been fair prospects of oil being found. If oil was present in the strata of New Zealand he was confident that it would be found, as the best experience and brains trained in the search for oil wore being utilised. The drillins: gear to be used on the project will be carried from the railhead at (<i>b'irne over the Patutahi railway section. ;i line which has not been used for many year*. This line is idle, but should oil be found at Totangi, lo miles from the Patutahi railhead, it is certain that the line will be extended to that point.