PETROLEUM SPRINGS IN TARANAKI.

Southland Times, Issue 1705, 21 February 1873, Page 3

PETROLEUM SPRINGS IN TARANAKI.

Tbe Taranaki Herald, under date the * 29feh January, writes as follows : — No one is more active in his desire to utilise the dormant resources of this province, than Mr Von Rotter, the Chief Postmaster ; and among the many things that have attracted his attention are the petroleum springs which are known to exist at the Sugar Loaves. It will be re membered that some six or seven months since, Mr Von Rotter was promised a portion of the beach where these petroleum springs existed, if he succeeded in getting a company formed to work them , and protection to enable him to raise such company was granted It was shortly after this that Mr Von Hotter, having obtained a small quantity of the petroleum, forwarded the same to Melbourne, where it was submitted by Sir Redmond Barry to the Laboratory for chemical "examination. That gentleman apparently has taken great interest in the affair, and has sent to Mr Von Rotter the following highly satisfactory result of the analysis : — "lndustrial and Technological Museum Laboratory, Melbourne, November 20, 1872. Sample of petroleum submitted for chemical examination by Sir Redmond Barry. The sample gave 72 per cent, of a good illuminating oil, with a specific gravity of 0.917. The residue after distillation, closely resembled asphalt, for all the uses of which it is suitable!. Owing to the smallnesa of the sample, the per centage of oil and specific gravity can only be taken as approximate. The distillation of a larger quautity might give slightly different results Should this petroleum occur in quautity, it would be of great commercial value. — Cosmo Newbuby, Analyst." Tbe sample from which the analysis was made was obtained at eighty feet below tbe f-urface of the earth by the Petroleum Companies when at work. It is not the opinion of one or two but of many, that had the shareholders of the Taranaki Petroleum Company' consented to have carried on the work for a short time longer, success would have crowned their labors. But at that time there was a great depression existing, and persons were cautious of investing their money when another native outbreak was impending, disturbances at Patea having commenced. However, the country is now in a very different state to what it was then, and should capitalists be attracted to our shores to work these springs, they will have the advantage of the experience of those who have gone before.