A RED LETTER DAY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 14398, 5 January 1911, Page 7

A RED LETTER DAY.

ANNIVERSARY OF NO. 3 BORE, [Communicated,] Tho anniversary of the No. 3 boro of } tho Taranaki Petroleum Company j shonld havo boon colobratod to-day i (January 5). because it is just twelve ! months since tho oil and go* measures i which have continued so active ever ; since were pierced, and tho oil has been ■ flowing almost without cessation of its J own accord from that day to this, and ! is still flowing at least as well as ever. Taranaki, and New Plymouth in par- , ticular, should join in wishing many 1 happy returns of the day loso important lan industry. So far it* importance has scarcely realised, hut tho time is ! near at hand when those who have treated the industry with indifference ■ will be standing by watching others ; more enterprising and far-see.ing enter into what should have been their own ! inheritance. But to come back to the anniversary day of a well which has 1 flowed for twelve months, it is perhaps somewhat difficult for those who have not seen to believe, yet there is tho silent testimony of the large accumulation of oil at the works. Had it been possible in the earlier stages of the industry to have foreseen this with any , certainty it is difficult to say what a state of excitement might have arisen. Hut Nature seldom unfolds all her treasures at once, and when they are revealed they only servo to show what wonderful provision is made for the 1 ages yot to come. A most pleasing , feature of the year’s development has : Imhui the gradual restoration of confi- ' deuce on the paH of the public*. This j is j.nply borne out by the constant ‘ stream of visitors who, coining to New Plymouth, are finding their way clown . to' the works. The confidence on the . part of many is summed up by the very apt quotation: —“I have seen quite enough to convince me ol the success of the industry without going to look at No. 3;” and out of tho three or four thousand visitors who have been eye- > * witnesses of what No. 2 well is dciiqj, ; how many have gone forth to talk oil, ; Taranaki oil, and Taranaki Petroleum | Co. oil m particular/ The chang’d; policy of the company in throwing its ; gates wide open and inviting the public • to see for themselves, with only one condition, that they shall not smoke, has le-lpf-d to bring alxmt the confidence j in the 'concern above referred to, and perhaps the greatest surprise is that ; all the shares on the market have not j been snapped up long ago. The continuation of this industry j means much to the Dominion. When ■ it is understood that all the by-products i produced from oil have x« be imported, j as well as the benzine and kerosene, it i will rendilv bo seen that an industry j that affords such a possibility for labour j must he a boon, narticuliwly to New | Plymouth. With flowing bores and r*> | finer it** in full swing, the little borough ( of New Plymouth would speedily bo j turned into" a city. .So far-reaching ! would be its effect that not only would J tlnro be no blank between town and Motoura, as regards houses, shops, etc., . but there would Ik> a veritable hive of manufactories, that are now M> conspicu- ! ous by thttir absence. imagine what . rapid growth has come to wliat are j now American cities through the oil industry, and we may rest assured Hint j historv will repeat ii.olf hero under \ similar conditions. With increased population would come corresponding needs that would stimulate the whole of our farming intercuts, and make jxiSfdhie production for which now there? exists no demand. The harlxmr will he lax- i ed to accommodate not only coastal! learners and Home liners, hut oil fuel, the fuel <»f the future, will attract the Dreadnought and the man-cf-v/ar, ami the seaward side of Taranaki, which at j present contributes so little to the pro- * gr<Tss of New Plymouth, will prove to ’ ns what extensive .shipping ha* proved to other ports—business expansion. j

The duty of every citizen is to push the town ahead, to have faith in its future, to take hold of every legitimate industry and, by adapting themselves to its requirement's and demands, make l it spell success writ large. By so doing they are not only enriching the community, lint enriching themselves. Let ns therefore, as a people, put onr whole soul into the development of the oil industry and wish to good old .No. 2 bore tunny happy returns of the day. TARANAKI COMPANY. No. 2 bore is flowing as strongly as ever. .Matty visiters are taking the opportunity'of visiting the works to-day, as it is the anniversary of the beginning of the flow from No, 2. At No. 3 drilling is proceeding in good country, and at No. 5 drilling is also going on very satisfactorily.