PETROLEUM IN TIMOR.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143670, 14 December 1911, Page 6

PETROLEUM IN TIMOR.

ISLAND OOZING WITH OIL. Messrs. A. J. Stangluon (of Collin'* Street, Melbourne)) R. A. .-Viileek, .and H. G. Foxall. BMC (the well-known Sydney geolog’si). who were sent to the island ol Timur cm behalf of tho Timor Petroleum Concessions, Ltd., some time ago, returned to Sydney on December 1 by the St. Albans, and were welcomed at a meeting ol tiie shareholders oi tlio company named at tho oiiices of Messrs. Johnson, Johnson and Edwards, public nmmnU. Sir Joseph CamubcTs occupied the chair, and .there wa.s a huge attendance or gentlemen. who manifested the deepest interest in the reports ol tho delegation. -Mr. A. J. Staughton, during the course of an interview with a Sydney Sun representative. said chat, in company with Messrs. Affleck and Foxall and four workmen, he had thoroughly explored tho island. Ho did not ieel inclined to go into details until the official reports were made public, but did mu mind giving a general summary of the expedition. From surface ami general indications he was -atisfied that the prospects in regard to the oil industry on (lie island wore as bright as tluw possible could be. The oil, which Fas of goml quality, was actually oozing from the ground in numerous places, and many gas fires were burning freely in ddoreni parts, and were ?«-u to have been doing so mr a mimbei of years. So far, only shallow v, MU had been sunk, but they indicated ihe presence of oil in large quantities. Toe first tiling to be done would be to buy a dtvp-boring plant, the one at present on the island being inadequate, jpr '•peeling operations would then be ca...M on. ami future work Mould depend on the results. lid,-, enterprise, Mr. Stoughton considered, would have a marked effect on tho Australian trade, became they found that the oil was particularly suitable for fu-L and could ho landed in the Svdnev marke. quite cheaply, the island being nnlv 3Y> mile; from Tort Da-win', and tin- concessions practically on ibe son. They also anticipated that Timor would heenme an important port fuel supplies, for with comparatively hide expenditure a good imrbour could \y* marie practically at the crmccs-.rms. He considered that when the trail-con-tinental railway wn* completed it would bring Perl Darwin into a similar position ns that of Fremantle, viz., a first landing place for oversea traffic, which wouldT be believed, ho diverted into this direction owing to these faeditko; for securing cheap fuel. The Portuguese authorities nt Timor had expressed a desire to establish a wireless station there, and would do so if the Commonwealth Government would do the same at Port Darwin. He carried an authority from the Governor of Timor to interview the PostmasterGeneral in regard to the. matter. This station would he the first of a connecting series between Australia and the East, via Macassar and Hongkong, the commercial value of which would be obvious. Speaking of tho general characteristics of thfvMrdand. Mr. Staughton said that it was undoubtedly very fertile, which could be judged by the fact that it supported a population of two millions at least in the Portuguese portion alone. The natives were all friendly, and it was a common thing f<rr one of their party to travel alone for days unarmed. The climate was excellent, except in a few low-lying and swampy places, including the chief town, Diliy, where malaria was very* prevalent. In th hills, however, which rise in places to a height of 10,00011., the climate was most healthy and exhilarating. Transport was most difficult, being obtained by native ponies, which were only about 11J hands high. He fully expected within tho next few years to sop tlie island actively exploited. As a result of tho expedition the Sydney company have acquired four additional conresHcns of oil-bearing areas.