OIL AT WANGANUI

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 208, 30 May 1936, Page 10

OIL AT WANGANUI

Government Investigation Assured DIVINER’S DISCOVERIES Dominion Special Service. Wanganui, May 29. Since independent investigations by diviners have led to the belief that oil exists in vast quantities below areas in and adjacent to Wanganui, steps have been taken by the Wanganui City Council to acquaint the Government with the possibilities of the discovery. The outcome of representations by Mr. J. B. Cotterill, M.P., to the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hou. D. G. Sullivan, has resulted in the assurance that at the end of the present session of Parliament either Dr. E. Marsden or Dr. J. Henderson, of the Department of Scientific and industrial Research, will visit Wanganui and discuss with the Mayor, Mr. W. J. Rogers, and the city engineer, Mr. L. F. Row, reports bearing on diviners’ claims.

For many years it has been known that oil exists in the swampy area lying between St. John's Hill and the coast, and small emissions of were well known to early settlers. Traces of the substance have also been seen in the Wanganui River, on the airport and along the South Beach. Some competent to express an opinion consider that the Napier earthquake in 1031 disrupted an oil seam which would in all probability account for the now more noticeable signs of crude oil in these localities. The opinion advanced that this deposit was a continuation of the New Plymouth oilfields has been rejected. Instead, three diviners have expressed the opinion that the field below Wanganui is more extensive and more promising, and that there is no connection between the fields. Immense Supplies. To find out for himself the extent of the deposit at Wanganui, Mr. C. McDonald, of Woodville, spent a recent week-end divining in the city. Teste in various localities convinced him that the field was below the complete city area and suburban areas with the exception of St. John's Hill. The oil belt followed a course to Castlecliff, where it cijrved back through Gonville and to the city again. "There is suflicient oil here to supply the needs of the British Empire,” he said to "The Dominion” when interviewed. "I believe this deposit is the second largest in the North Island, and it dwarfs the New Plymouth field.” He considered that the largest field in New Zealand was in the Manawatu district, and the second largest was in the South Island, but as to where the exact localities were, he preferred not to disclose until he had made more comprehensive investigations. Prolific Gushers. Early this month, Mr. T. Todd, of Lepperton. another well-known diviner, paid a visit to Wanganui and found symptoms of oil corroborating Mr. McDonald's tests. Incidentally, the two diviners happened to meet each other for the first time. In the course of a short morning’s tour. Mr. Todd stated he found unmistakable signs of at least a dozen prolific gushers, and three of ■the largest were within a stone's throw of the hangar at the airport. Many city reserves also revealed signs of oil below the surface in abundant quantities He was able to measure the dimensions of each prospective gusher, and together with the locality; details were noted so that when the Government, in accordance with its promise to the Wanganui City Council decides to carry out further tests, it will have all necessary details as complete as possible. He was astonished at the extent of the field which, he told "The Dominion,” was of infinite value. Another diviner, Mr. T. J. Clover, of Waverley. also conducted numerous tests throughout the same localities, and arrived at similar conclusions “There is not the slightest doubt of oil being there,” he said, “and it would be wise to investigate the whole matter systematically to gauge the possibilities and at the samp time guard against any ‘wild eat’ scheme." He considered that all the inspected territory should be accurately plotted out and exhaustively tested by the highest qualified experts in New Zealand and, if necessary, by overseas authorities. Any haphazard methods would undermine much patient work and would frustrate proof of the existence of a commodity which In the future would be of Inestimable value not only to the city, but to the country To determine where the oil should be bored for, he said, was of vital Importance.

The actions of the Regent of France 200 years ago and the New Zealand Government in modern times were compared by Mr. P. L. Porter in an ad dress to the Economics Society in Dunedin. The Regent, tty converting the private bank of John Law into a State bank, and buying out Mie share holders, had done exactly the same athe Government of New Zealand *n buying out the shareholders of the Re serve Bank in recent months Differ ent motives had prompted these similar actions. Tlie French bank had been purchased because it was thought that an immense profit would be made on* of it, and the New Zealand bank had been purchased in pursuit of Government policy.