CURRENT TOPICS

Southland Times, Issue 17607, 23 March 1914, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS

NEW ZEALAND OILFIELDS There, is no part of the Empire more interesting to those concerned in oil propositions than New Zealand and Australia, stated Mr J. D; Henry on his return to London after a tour of the principal oilfields of the dominions. "In New Zealand, where the navy idea is an outstanding: feature of political life/' he said, "the people have a great opinion of the. future usefulness of oil fuel. It is realised that the dominion will directly feel the beneficial effect of California's development of a. huge oil fuel industry in connection with the mercantile marine of the Pacific. New Zealand aims at, supplying a large percentage of the oil fuel required by steamers tracing regularly between San F.’ancisco, and other Pacific ports and our possessions in the Antipodes. Part of this supply will come from the oilfields of the dominion, while it is not at ail unlikely that a regular business of importing fuel on a large ccale will be organised.” Dealing with the oilfields of New Zealand, Mr Henry said the New Plymouth refinery was working satisfactorily and supplying petroleum products for an excellent market. At present the drilling programme ot the companies included the putting down of some eight new wells, some of which, after being drilled in good time, had reached a depth at which oil had ber-n struck in the old bores. The latest cardes stated that the outlook in the matte- of new output was most favourable. lie calculated that about £.80,000 had been spent on refinery and drilling plant for use in the dominion during the post two years; Concerning Australia; he said, surveys of supposed oil-bearing territory were being made, and there was a fair prospect of drilling operations being started within the next year or two. The Australian naval authorities favoured the use of oil fuel. There should be no trouble about getting adequate supplies for the Australian part of the oavy, and it was an interesting fact that an order had just been given for a new tank steamer to be built for naval use in Australian watersLIQUID PARAFFIN; From time to time ihere rises up * more or less pronounced craze for the use of some well-advertised drug or medicinal preparation for which remarkable prop'erties are claimed. Perhaps one of the most astonishing of such occurrences is the present popularity of refined liquid paraffin, which is enjoying an extraordinary sale a'l over New Zealand. Enormous quantities of tills oil; which Is a deodorised first cousin to kerosene, arc being swallowed daly by men and women, particularly the women of Auckland, in accordance with the direction on the bottles, and in the hope that the oil will correct mere, or less all the ailments that flesh is heir to. The oil as used medicinally !r tt - specially prepared extract from petroleum. Locally medical opinion eoeina divided between a modified enthusiasm and a modified lolerapc’. Quito «• number of Auckland doctors prescribe paraffin —some very extensive’y, and others in the tentative way they have of discovering whether a new idea Is good or not. One medical man remarked recently. "The doctors arc no; quarrelling about paraffin. They are cither satisfied from their own expenenco that. It or the patients belief in 't Is a success H is being taken by a groat number of people, many of whom claim that they are now being and it is one of the thousand and one remarkable things that have entered into civilised diet because clvihnation bas rdered people to eat more well than wl - ly, and to exercise no more than the. can help."