PROSPECTING FOR OIL

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144133, 1 July 1913, Page 2

PROSPECTING FOR OIL

IN AUCKLAND DISTRICT. LEASES APPLIED FOR. By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent. AVELLINGTON, June 30. An Application for a lease of a thousand acres of land near AVaiotapn is being'made to the Mines Department by an Auckland syndicate, with a view tb prospecting for petroleum. Mr. H. it. Cooke, acting on behalf of tho syndicate, had an interview with tho Minister for Mines (Hon. AV. Fraser) to-day. ■ Messrs. AV. D. S. Macdonald, the representative of the district, anc£ Messrs. F. Miinder and J. S. Dickson, M.P.’s, were also present. The Minister stated that two other similar .applications had been received, and whilst he would grant the application dr applications subject to tho prescribed conditions, ho intimated that ha would like to seo all the applicants before coming to any definite /decision. The area applied for is within tho thermal springs area, hut under legislation passed last session tho Minister has power to grant such applications, provided that he is satisfied that proper safeguards are observed. In tho present case tho applicants have .consulted the Government Geologist -as ter tho advisableness of putting down boros, in the thermal springs area, and they state; that his answer was not unfav-c curable to the proposal.