THE OIL INDUSTRY

Otago Witness, Issue 3036, 22 May 1912, Page 31

THE OIL INDUSTRY

NEW PLYMOUTH, May 16. The Taranaki (New Zealand) Oil Wells (Ltd.) takes over the affaire of the Taranaki Petroleum Company as from to-day. Important news re- the despatch of refinery and other plant and experts from London may be expected in a few days. PAHIATUA, May 16. Like the Taranaki district and round about Gisborne, the Forty-mile Bush dis. trict promises to support a flourishing oil ind'ustvy at no distant date. In Mangaone Valley, lying between Pahiatua and Eketahuna, and even further afield, ample evidence of the presence of oilbearing springs has been discovered. Reports on tlie field have been made by Mr S. Fry, A.M.A.1.M.E., and J. H. Herman, late drilling expert for the Standard Oil and various other companies. The analysis of the mineral -water is favourably reported on bv Dr J. H. MacLaurin, Dominion analyist. Mr Herman lias visited all the wellknown oil a.reas in New Zealand, and says he ha 3 seen nothing in prospect that lie considers superior to the territory under review. He recommends a thorough trial by deep boring, and he feels sum that the reward of prospecting tlie area will exceed ibe most sanguine expectations of prospectors. A 3in bore sunk on the property of Mr F. C. Lewis to a depth of about 400 ft gave off a large quantity of petroleum gas, and the boring was particularly easy for the whole depth. One of the springs on Mr Godfrey's place has belched up mud and formed a small hillock, and can be described as a small mud volcano. There are several of these mud eruptions on the eastern extremity of the areas. The springs on Messrs Nagle's and Pitcaithlv's are four in number. They have ■also bepjn examined. These are very similar to the others above described, but are situated some miles east of them. There is also a very large spring on Mr Tndd's farm at Thuraua, some seven miles from "Rongomai Valley. This is the most powerful one in the district. Tt give* off large quantities of gas, and is said to give splendid samples of petroleum gas. A comn-inv called thr. Manojaono OilM* (Ltd.) has been formed, with a capital of £25,000, to acquire the rights to bore for oil, and to mine for cool and otheT minerals over an area of 20.000 of land situated in the Mangaone and Kopuaranga survey districts.