GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12826, 27 July 1912, Page 7

GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS.

In connection with the prosecution of the geological survey of the Poverty Bay district. Mi' F. Parker suggested, at the meeting of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday, that the .Government should be. approached with a view to getting some of their staff to go on with the work that was discontinued two or three years ago. The finding of a good supply of stone might be one of the chief factors m connection with the prosecution of the- -work the staff might take m hand. He moved that the Government be approached with a view to having the work continued. ■In seconding the motion, Mr W. L. Clayton said the position was that the Government undertook a survey for the examination of the petroliferous country m the Wairigaax>mia and Mhaigatu survey districts. The whole survey was extremely .beneficial, and the report was an excellent one, but it left them a good ideal m the dark. It should be continued, so as to form a basis for surveys m connection with mining enterprises, and it would, be a benefit to the district for locating seams of stone. In some parts .of 'the Dominion the Mines Department undertook the surveys for the purpose of giving facilities to mining companies. Very probably, if oil should be found m this district anywhere, they would 'find one of the largest," if not the largest oilfield m the Dominion. It was not expected that the Government would undertake . the geological survey of the whole district ; that would be a very large and ' difficult; matter ; but the continuation of' the present survey would give a strip of country right to the sea, on which geological work could! be conducted by private enterprise. The expense of the survey would be "infinitely less fii case's of "ilangatu and 'Wairigaromia, for below that was almost inaccessible '■ coitntry. "It was pref erable to have not. only M^ngaiu,' Waiiigaromia, and Waimata surveys,' but also'Waikohu from a stone point of view, and 1 Patulahi. He suggested that Mr Parker should add these to his motion.- Mr Clayton he did not second the motion fromiany selfish motive, but .he was quite satisfied that it was m the'interests of the whole district that thevshou]d have the .survey continued, so that private enterprise would be encouraged and local bodies/ ha ve some reliable data to go on, when "searching for stone. The motion was carried, : and Mr Clayton 1 was ' deputed to assist m drafting a letter.