OIL BORING

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 27 March 1926, Page 5

OIL BORING

ALLEGED INTERFERENCE.

SENSATIONAL ALLEGATIONS.,

ACTIONS OF AN EXPERT.

BY CABLE—PBESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. ’■ Received 9.45 a.m. to-day. MELBOURNE, March 27. During the tariff debate in ; the House of Representatives, while dealing with the item crude oil, Mr "Walter Maries made serious allegations regarding wliat he claimed to be American interference in attempts to find oil in the Lander and Roma bores in Queensland. He declared that a report, from which he quoted, was presented to the directors showing that an expert who had been secured from America had admitted that he took steps to get the drillers off the field so that he could obtain sole control. "When he did get control he blocked . the bore t and exploded a gelignite charge inside the casing. The report further stated that the expert’s reckless expenditure had cost the company £BO,OOO. Furthermore, it was alleged that documents were found in his office which showed that he was sending geological. information regarding the company’s doings to America, and had done everything possible to block the company’s work. The company had not taken criminal proceedings, and had allowed the expert tb return to America out of consideration for his wife alone;