TARANAKI OIL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 4 July 1924, Page 5

TARANAKI OIL.

AUSTRALIAN COAiPANY FORMED. AVITH £500,000 CAPITAL. Cabled advice was received from Melbourne yesterday morning (says the Herald) by Alessrs. Govett, Quilliam and Hutchen that a company has been formed in Australia with a capital of £500,000, which has been underwritten, for the purpose of developing the oil resources of the Taranaki district. It will he remembered that-about six months ago \Dr. Clapp, an eminent geologist from the United States, spent a. few weeks here for the purpose of examining and reporting upon the fieTd. His report is not yet available for publication, but it is understood to have been so favourable that steps were at once taken to secure boring rights over a large area, of country eastward of Inglewood. Other experts have also been on the field for some little time, but actual operations have awaited the completion of the boring rights and other details.

Dr. F. G, Clapp is a recognised authority on.petroleum and has a very high reputation in-the United, States. From 1901 to 1903 he was instructor in geology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey from 1902 to 1908. Since then he has been a consulting geologist and petroleum engineer, specialising in reports on oil and gas properties. He was mining geologist to the Associated Geological Engineers from 1912 to 1918, and since then has been chief geologist to the Associated Petroleum Engineers. He is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America and other geological societies; a member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers. American Seismological Society, and the American Petroleum Institute. He is also the author of numerous books and papers on travel, geology, petroleum, natural gas, conservation and water supply. Since lie, was in Taranaki Dr. Clapp has been engaged in exploration work in AVestern Australia on behalf of Australian capitalists, but such reports as have been made public there ai‘e not particularly encouraging. Further information 'about the new company and- its proposals 'will we hope, be available in a few days. ’