MUCH ACTIVITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 138, 14 June 1938, Page 11

MUCH ACTIVITY.

SEARCH FOE OIL.

TOTANGI DOME WORK. INTEREST IN PROJECT. (By Telegraph.—Own. Correspondent.) ■ GISBORNE, this day. During the past week Totangi Dome, the scene of oil drilling activities in the Gisborne district, has presented a very busy scene, and when visited by a "Star'' representative to-day a great change was noticed since his previous visit of three weeks ago. It is expected that the expert 3 and additional staff for the erection of the drilling gear will arrive at Gisborne 011 Tuesday night, the party including Messrs. W. H. Thorns and H. Weymouth (geologists), W. S. Simpson and W. H, Gallagher (chief geologist of the Standard Oil Company, America), and J. H., Linton (general manager of the Vacuum Oil Proprietary).

The berthing of the Pukeko on Tuesday will give a Tug stimulus to interest, as this vessel, will carry portion of the equipment brought from America on the Mariposa. This gear will be rushed to Totangi, and set up at once. A 75ft span bridge capable of carrying 70 tons lias been constructed, the work being done in under two weeks. A fast-growing camp on the banks of the Hihiroroa stream is being laid out with careful attention to the comfort of the men, and a large staff of men is engaged in working on the site. Keen interest is being shown by the public in the camp, and as the site is about an hour's run from Gisbornc numerous visitors arc to be seen out there, especially last weekend, when the summery conditions gave large parties a nleasant drive to the site of the bore. All plant at Totangi will bo operated by Diesel engines, and a special 10,000-gallon tank if being erected alongside the Harbour Board tank at Kaiti to allow the storage of oil discharged from ships and to be used at the wells.