The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, OCT. 2nd., 1021. PROSPECTING.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 October 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, OCT. 2nd., 1021. PROSPECTING.

Coxsidkraiii.k satisfaction .should he telt in the statements made public lately that important prespecting operations are to l:c undertaken in the district. The onterpiise refc.s to both oil and gold. 'lhe former search will lie regarded rather as a new enterprise for the Westland district, for hitherto prespecting lias keen confined chiefly to gold. But opinions favourable to oil deposits in Westland have bceji held for lug, and seeing that the country generally is mineralised so. highly, it would he a surprise were there no indications of oil. As a matter of iii.-t there are, and Mr I’. G. Morgan,

lovernment geologist, in one of his re-

ports refers to the possibilities. The leport in question is more apropos to Kotuku in the Grey district, hut his investigations in that locality carried him further afield, and by his conclusions he defined an anticline in West-

land territory which suggested cil-licar-iug strata as a possible source for oil. Doubtless this report has attracted .the attention of Northern speculators, who bavin" experts in oil at their command, appear bent on turning practical attention to this district. It is pleasing that the mineral resources of the district are to he more fully exploited. Resources are an advantage in their way, but they are better developed,

and it is at least a hopeful sign tlmt outside capital is prepared to venture a large sum of money in the search for lucrative oil deposits. Westland promises to come into its own when we see outsiders turning special attention to the mineral resources believed to be existent in Lhe district. -Mr .Morgan’s report suggests that the anticline governing possible oil strata, teaches from Big Dam hil.l behind (.’jildsboroiigh in a northerly direct:'.. ll towards the Tcremakaii liver. The line would cross the main road to Kiimnra at approximately the highest part of the road adjacent to where there is an existing dam. Tt continues past Italian Hill and westward of Callaghans, passing below Sandy’s Hill and adjacent to the Kumara racecourse, to the river. On the north side of the rivet it passes through Fireball Creek region into the Drey County. This point is mentioned spe tally in Mr Morgan’s report as a distinctive locality of the l'aparna anticline, wliiili carries forward in a. more diicetlv nortli-east- direction to Mount Buckley. Mr Morgan's report which iunder not he, -1 onsidors the line of country ni'aove described as possibly oil-bearing, which of course is the most a geologist could sav on the position as it pres,-n(s itself to his critical eve. The mat ter of turning a possibility into a probability is for the prospector to discover by bis explorations, from tlie probability it will be only a short stage to the actual development by the 0:1 pita.list. The expel Is who are to investigate the situation are said to be lately associated with working operations about the Taranaki eil-lield. The advent of the experts combined with the amount of cash depo-it necessary to secure the tr.ea proposed for preserved prospecting by the syndicate which has the matter in band, suggests n eniisideral.de enterprise is afoot. This fact gives hope that the occasion will lead up to Westland exiling into its ou u in respect to some of its mineral wealth.- There is 110 question that capital ill considerable sums will be leqnired lor the undertaking, and the expenditure will show a iaith in the resources of the district where there lias lieen always the feeling it u ill be well justified. The ] reject lias potential possibilities, which will lead all to hope it may he a pronounced sms ess.