PROVINCE OF TO-MORROW

Evening Star, Issue 19549, 6 May 1927, Page 5

PROVINCE OF TO-MORROW

WEST COAST PROSPECTS 4 ' ~ ' . J MEAT OIL PROBABILITIES [Spec:ax so run ' Stab.*] CHRISTCHURCH. May 5. , Notwithstanding the adverse conditions, which have affected both the gr unary and the secondary industries of be dominion, there #> strong indication that the tide is turning and that New Zealand is due for a great industrial revival when the West Coast, rich in gold, timber, coal, and hydro power, will come into its own as the land of to-morrow. This is the considered opinion of Mr J. Russell, a builder, and Mr W. C. Franks, of Masterton, who have just returned from an interesting investigation into the West Coast of the South Island. The immense resources with which they were brought into contact, and among these the probability of commercial oil at Murchison, gave the visitors some idea of Nature’s endowments for the future progress of the province. In many instances the facilities with which West Coasters are adopting these forces are crude, but since the opening of Otira tunnel new life has been given to the Coast, and already the transition may clearly be seen. Compared with other parts of the dominion, the slow pace with which the West Coast has moved is due to many natural handicaps, prominent among which are those of isolation and inadequate transport. In a chat with a ‘Sun/ man to-day the tourists outlined their adventures on the Coast and the conclusions which they had drawn. “In a party of seven or eight travellers we visited Murchison and Reefton and got into touch with the actual possibilities of oil and gold development. Under the guidance of qualified mining engineers geologists wo inspected the new oilfield at Murchison. We were shown oil seepages and petroleum gas blows, and were treated to scientific expositions on the subject, which had a distinct educational value. A former visitor whom we encountered declared _i ‘ Hero at Murchison there is definite and positive evidence of the presence or oil under conditions distinctly favorable to success.” “ Like any other great discovery of the past, the theory of commercial oil at Murchison has yet to be translated into reality. Everything points towards success, as all available facts aud data were shown by the experts to harmonise, and from the mudstones, limestones ; sandstones, conglomerates, and arkosic grits apt illustrations wore given. We paid an interesting visit to the bore now being driven, not by the Government (nor even with the assistance of the Government), but by a small Auckland company known as the Murchison Oil Company, Ltd. An Australian Government has offered £20,000 to assist in the production of commercial oil in Australia, and is prepared to double that amount, but her© in New Zealand, while we have wasted millions in mere experimentation, as far as oil at Murchison is concerned this country has no Government, no cash, and no imagination. Instead of the one solitary boro there should be a dozen driven on tip tremendous oil anticline. We examined the results to date, and found that from 1,200 ft to the present depth of 2,000 ft both oil and petroleum had been encountered.”