PETROLEUM

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 14011, 16 September 1909, Page 3

PETROLEUM

It will he remembered, the Gisborne Herald bays, that in the sinking of the Waitangi bore, where oil was struck last Saturday, at the 200 ft level a heavy piece of timber — a five-foot log — was encountered. A sample of the wood was forwarded to Dr. Bell, Director of the Geological Survey Department, and the chairman or.^he Oil Company (Mr. Lysnar) has since been advised that the specimeta was submitted to Professor Kirk, of Victoria College, Wellington, Who declares it to be rimu. ' ' In its issue of Thursday, September 9, the Poverty Bay Herald says, of the operations at Waitangi that the lowering of the casing of the well has been effected to within two feet of the bottom, thus effectually preventing the possibility of its caving in, but still ; enabling further oil to be drawn up as desired. Arrangements are now being made for the drawing off of another 20 barrels of oil, which wilj also enable* the manager (Mr. M'Donald) to judge as to the nature of the flow that 'has ■ been Btruck. The recent rains rendered the Waipaoa River at Whatatutu uncrossable yesterday ; in fact the crossing waß within six inches of swimming when Mr. Lysnar forded it on Tuesday afternoon. The additional barrels were therefore being slung across ihe river on a wire rope, and it is hoped they will all be packed up to the well' ready for filling to-day. Drilling operations in the meanwhile, until additional oil has been pumped up," are suspended. Samples of the oil and strata were forwarded by mail to Dr. Bell,' Director of the Geological Survey Department, yesterday for the purpose of analysis.