OIL IN DOMINION?

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 80, 5 April 1939, Page 18

OIL IN DOMINION?

WIDE SEARCH BEING MADE.

MINISTER IS GRATIFIED

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday

A large area of land in the Murchison district has been taken up by an oil prospecting company and geophysical surveys are now being carried out. Other areas also reserved for development are in Taranaki and the east coast of the North Island.

An , early beginning of drilling on the West Coast was expected, said the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, this evening, when he reviewed progress of oil discovery efforts in New Zealand.

"I am extremely gratified with the response large interested companies in-the endeavour to discover oil," said THifr. Webb. "Approximately 50 eminent geologists and geophysicists are already employed in making surveys before definitely deciding whether drilling is warranted. All this preliminary work is eseeritial and the progress being made ie excellent. I.am convinced that if oil exists in commercial quantities, drilling machines, in conjunction with expert mine operating men and geologists, will discover it."

In addition to areas in Taranaki, the west coast of the South Island and the eaet coast of the North Island, for which development wae being planned, a local company was now drilling near Dargaville, said the Minister.

"Major boring is taking place near Gisborne," added Mr. Webb. "This company has met with considerable difficulty on account of the nature of the strata, but I am pleased to say that that difficulty has been overcome, and the last report indicated that drilling is going along satisfactorily."