KILLINGS FOR EXPORT SEEKING OIL

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 179, 30 August 1929, Page 11

KILLINGS FOR EXPORT

SEEKING OIL

NEW PLANT FOR GISBORNE. CONF1DENCE IN THE KUTU 11 E. Confidence in tlie opinion that sooner or Jater oil in payable quantities would he discovered somewhcie' in New Zealand was expressed by IMr A. H. Moline, general manager of tlie Taranaki Oilfields, wlio returned to New Zealand by the Niagara ai'ter seven weeks' visit to Australia. Mr IMoline saicl that the conipany was making good progress with its operation at Gisborne. The first sliipment of the new rotary plant for use there would arrive by the steamer Golden ('ross, which was due in a fow days. This plant would he under the supervision o.f an expert Ameriean driller, Mr S. P. Hart, of Los Angeles, who arrived in Wellington by the Tahiti. He was met there hy Mr Aloline. who will spend a few days in Xew Plymouth before proceeding to Gishorne. Speaking of the search in Australia. Mr Molipe stated that a fair amount of gas had heen struck at the Roma field, where a nersistent eft'ort was being made. With luck in striking the riglit strata he thouglit that the Australians might he sucecssful. Their chances, liowever. did not hegin to cojnpare with those of success in Xew Zealand, but, realising tlie vast importauce of such a discovery, the Commouwealtli Government had set aside £250,000 for prospecting purposes, which was most encouraging and helpful . Dr. Simon Papp. of London, geologist of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, wh'o is returning to England. is also a passenger hy the Niagara. Dr. Papp has just finished 18 montlis' prospecting work in Papua in the interests of liis comnany. but prefers nofc to make any stafement regarding his investigatious until lio has regarded to his comnany. Tlie work there was very aj'duotis, and the prevalence of fevers and tronieal diseases made it a most nndesirable place for Furopeaus to reside in for anv leugtli of time.