PETROL RECOVERED FROM SOIL

Chronicle (Levin), 7 January 1948, Page 2

PETROL RECOVERED FROM SOIL

AUCKLAND, Jan. 6. More tlian S000 gabons of petroi have been0 recovered from ihe soil at the western reelamation since the fata! lire iiear the Birkenhead vehicular ferry terminal. 011 Deeember 1. Of this amount about 5000 gallons have been collected sin;e Deeember 24. Tlio present rate of eoJlectiou is about 1000 gallons a day. The city enginecr, Mr. J. Dickson, said lie expeeted the reeovery of petroi u'ould, (*ontitio,e 1'o.j; another ^fortnight. 'llie Crty Couneil "has sunk ti"ve! pits eaeh -about 10 feet deep, as a major part of the reeovery work. Some of the pits have ceased to yield petroi since the otliers were sunk. In addition tests have been made by sinking welis at points over a wider area, to determine Ae most suitable reeovery sites. Preeautions takeu in the area- include the prohibition of smokihg, the use of woodeu spades and other tools which do not make sparks, and the use of lland pumps whieh are safer than electrieal ones. A lire trapped a ship's wateliman and scowmaster, Mr. Peter Barron, aged 72, who was one of a party workiiig on the Freeman 's Bay wharf to secure the bas6 of a light crane. Mr. Barron suft'ered serious burns and died in hospital the following day.