PETROLEUM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 173, 9 December 1912, Page 4

PETROLEUM.

| THE IiONITUON COMPANY. | Mr. VV. P. Barber, Chairman of Directors of the Bonithon Oil Company, and | Mr. VV*. Alt-Lean, secretary, are'on a visit to New Plymouth in connection with the business of the company. The company lias decided to put down a bore about 100 yards from the present bore. The Parker rotary drilling plant is exoected to arrive in" Wellington from Am _>rica on the 18th inst., and will immediately be transhipped to Moturoa. A contract has been let to Messrs. Boon Bros, to erect the derrick, and a .start with the work will be made this (Monday) morning. The two cottages for the American drillers, who are in town, are almo-t completed. As soon as the plant arrives, drilling work will be vigorously proceeded with. The company has aliont ]2',/, acres of freehold land at Bonithon, which, of course, is not very far from the flowing bores. It will be remembered that""the company put down a bore some time ago to a. depth of 3000 feet. Good shows of oil were obtained, but the water difficulty could not be successfully coped with. One of the chief merits' of the patent rotary plant which is being installed is its ability to shut off water effectually.

-Tlic company is not taking any "kips just now to erect a refinery, though it is in a position to do so if circumstances warrant. When lie' was in America recently Mr. McLean inspected a refinery plant capable of dealing successfully with every element of petroleum which could be installed here at an outlay of about £SOOO. Mr. Barber returns to Wellington this morning, and Mr. McLean to-morroAv.

A XEW COMPANY. For some time Mr. E. Griffiths has been engaged "n floating an oil development company to operate in the New Plymouth district, and considerable success has attended his efforts. The capita] of the company is 50,000 in £1 shares and the intention'of the directors is to allot 25.000 shares now, 20,000 of which have_ been taken up, all in the Blenheim district. The provisional directors of the company are Messrs. R. F. Goultor (chairman) a well-known and successful Blenheim sheep farmer; Geo. McKay, ironmonger, Blenheim; John Barrv merchant, Reir.vick Town; E. Griffiths, New Plymouth, managing director. Boring rights have been acquired over between 1100 and 1200 acres. Ten acres are situated within 150 varrte of No. 5 bore of the Taranaki (New Zealand) Oil Wells. Ltd. Twenty-five acres are near the old golf links, and the remainder is situate on he Kent Road, Leppcrton, and beytfiul l'nglewood.

The company are obtaining the services of tm )i] export named Von Federowicz, wlio has had a lengthy experience on European oil fields. ' Two drilling plants left London for New Plymouth yestcrdav. and should lie here in January. Four drillers will arrive with the plants. On," of the rigs will he worked in partnership .vith another company, formed m Phristchurch. which holds rights in adjacent territory, in order to test the field.

The more companies there are operating in the district, the quicker and more thoroughly will the field he proved, and the advnnt of this company will be hailed wiMi Mr.' Griffiths is to he <-oi!:jr.-atiilated on his fine achievement, in bating the company in such a successful manner.