THE OIL INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143764, 12 April 1912, Page 3

THE OIL INDUSTRY.

(By “Ngaru.”)

In conversation with the writer, the chairman of the Taranaki Petroleum the other day remarked : “It is a peculiar thing that the most sceptical in connection with the oil industry are the Taranaki people themselves.” Right here 1 may say that 1 was one of the sceptics until I , paid a personal visit to the works at Moturoa -and-saw -what has been, .ajnd A? being done in the direction of winning this valuable product from the levels of the earth. There is, perhaps, reason wily scepticism should exist amongst old Taranaki boys at any rate, for since the early sixties ipuch money has been expended An fruitless efforts to tap the underground petroleum reservoir, and the failure of every fresh trial only tended to tighten pursestrings and cause those who had been unbelieving before, to be more unbelieving still. So matters.have gone on until now it may he truly said that oil has really been struck, which is fully borne out by the large quantities stored in reservoirs ready tor converting into tlie various commodities. Tests have proved the petroleum to contain, to wit, kerosene, benzine, machinery oil, etc., etc. .Notwithstanding this, there are Taranaki people who still exclaim: “I’ll believe it when I see it.” However this pessimism is neither here nor there at this juncture, because payable oil has been tapped, and an English company has- taken up the running, with the intention of still further exploiting the industry, which means, from present indications, that in the course of a very few years, Taranaki will be famous for. its oil and by-products, as well as for its butter and cheese. From my earliest recollections, and I am not by any means a young man, oil could be seen floating on the water around Moturoa, and the smell was very pronounced at times; but it was nothing to the odour given off at the various bores just new—one gets a good sniff of the real thing. On being shown round the works by a most courteous attendant. 1 noticed excavations going on for another reservoir, and I hazarded the question: “I suppose the sides and bottom will hove to be concreted?” Much to my surprise, the answer was in the negative, “So soon as the pit is dug out, the oil can bo nln in; there is absolutely little or no waste.” When it is considered that all the fuel is oil or gas, obtainable on the ground, and that reservoirs can bo excavated out of clay at a trifling cost, then it can be readily realised what immense profits will result to shareholders wdien everything, is in full swing. It has often been regretted that payable gold could not be foimd in Taranaki, but I believe the oil industry will bo of a more lasting nature and bring more genuine prosperity to the whole province than a gold field. When the cry is raised that gold has been found in a particular locality, great is the. rusly thereto, but how many return, with as much coin as they took with them ? Side by side with the principal oil works, there is even now a good , harbour, with every prospect of the near future seeing one that will accommor date almost any steamer trading to Now Zealand —but the pessimist still says “tailioa.” Then this province of ours which has had more to contend against than any other part of the Dominion, will make greater gtrides towards the goal of prosperity than during the last twenty or thirty years, and a great deal has been achieved during Hi.at period to minimise the setback occasioned through the Maori war and inadequate shipping, accommodation. Would that the iron deposits on our sea shore wore as near being brought into commercial use as the petroleum. Ax a son of Taranaki, I how to those whose pluck and perseverance has brought the oil industry to such a satisfactory issue. i