THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 687, 11 December 1909, Page 13

THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY.

•/ Sir,—At the.prcs?iit time, the 'British: public •r-the .limiting; .public—is more, aiid •oaii'- we _ii6tV'iir New' ■ ilealand. induce them to become interested in our lloiuinionVoil areaSr Home :toistnUce' 6aii :be ! gi'ven : by. the" QoV(;riiincut, :pii ■lines;s'uggeated,by: Messrs." "Walkingarid iFpx,,-.of:: New I'lymouth. ' The quality ;of the ' oils in New Zealand is. above the' average; especially'in New' Plymouth niid Gisborne'; as regards ; benzene,, whero .wo 1 find " the- .distillation tests give 20.2 and .31,0. per tent, respectively. ' Mr. Mactrarvie, the. mahnger,' : etc., ot" the .Oil Conipaiiy,:is quoted as; saying, "that ?5 per .cent :benzeue -would he payable •, without-'.-taking. -'; tlibburningbit, lubricating, oils. : • and into account,", l'he trouble in'the older'.fields-is to supply tie' demand' lor ; tho.'•benzene products, demand ,which.ywiU; increase •< until; genius successfully brings -out ii motor suitable to ..use; ordinary - kerosene, as;, the 'motive agentfor high-speed engines. .' Such being the present state.of the trade, there is every reason for.a more thorough- attempt being njade .tedevelop the, likely petroliferous - country, . and .1 do not thijak any.; assistance given', by; the. Government would bo misapplied ,m an . endeavour to for-1 ward' what. is.sure..to -turn ; out andndustry of | immense; importance to, say ' nothing! about .its wider'lmperial interest. In' -many instances/,-good'''undertakings have been killed by insufficientcapital: and, want -.-of '.the' best .expert, drilling methods. , There are a .JJjmner ;of .Urst-class'. drillers - at ■ present in l iVw Zealand, -and intheir special districts and methods, good men, but. thoro are few voilmenf'inH'ho widest"- sense. J lie Government cfin help tho industry in another, way; -1 allude to tho • continuance ofi tlifr geological surveys so ably started by Dr 6' tu nn' ™fi 'companies -PIM-.-JVorld nil .employ tho - very best' ,tr4ined-"|!6ologistsi' ;a : sure';iign:- they:.'return something:-.to-.account.-for-' theirV>salaries— I ■nm, etc;,. •r >■■■. AVU LIAM E. 11CROYD. -[This letter , has been sliahtlj-condensed.!.