WESTPORT ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1054, 18 February 1911, Page 10

WESTPORT ITEMS.

(By .Xeleeraph.-Rpeclat Correspondent.) j . Westport, February 17. . ■ Various indications of oil . havo been, observed throughout this district, and the succcs's of tho Kotuku oil springs, in tho Grey Valley; l which are being worked by. British capital, warrants '.a' detailed survey. At Karainca oil -is found oozing out of tho ground in various localities, apparently from some permanent sourcei . , ; A representative of a North Island syndicate' has boen prospecting their coal lease, four miles from AVestport. Jlariy outcrops of bituminous coal havo been .found, and tested, tho analysis showing tho .measure to ho similar in quality t6 'the. best coal.mined, here. Tho leaso is diio 'a'nd a half mites'front tho AVestport-Inangahua railway, - and can ho easily . worked; on.,the. ordinary adit levels. " Self-draining shafts, are lo 'he 'immediately :sunk • ! on ■ the larger seams,-which are over 20ft.- thick,inuthe leaSe thoroughly tested. ■( Jlr. Sidney Fry, ex-director of tho AVestport School of 3lirics, has been appointed managing director of tho Poerua Gold Slimng Company. 1 The excellent work dono by tho Harbour Board's suction dredgers has been msdo manifest during tho week.' At high spring tides tho' depth of' water on tho bar was 89ft., and tho avorage for all' tides -23ft. As indicating tho progress made in converting Buller River into a v sda harbour, -it may bo mentioned that in 1886 tho depth on tile bar was only 10ft.;