OIL IN PAPUA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 25, 30 June 1913, Page 8

OIL IN PAPUA.

VERY GREAT DEVELOPMfiJT £ EXPECTED. * Development of the oil industry fa# going to make a wonderful difference W?| Papua. In the words of a recent vUJtoPi to Sydney, Mr. S. G. McDonell, "it will fairly revolutionise the country." ft "Those who have to do with the boring are keeping very quiet as to results," 1 , he said to a representative of the Sydnfey < Herald, "though why there should be^ ! any secrecy goodness only knows. Wail know that oil has been struck all right,/ for Mr. Staniforth Smith has 'been show* ' ing samples of it at Port Moresby, and"' we understand that the flow'is a goo 4 one. They came upon the oil before , reservoirs had been constructed to it. If thinp turn out the way we all" hope and believe, there should be great *\ activity presently. We know for certainthat the oilfields extend from VailaU,/, to the Purari river, a stretch of abenrtfi twenty miles, and it is said that there * are strong indications of oil at Kerema, 1 which is 50 miles distant from Purari. Iheio should therefore be a great many < bores put down, and this will mean ft big accession to our white population " asked t,UV t>limate Wealthy?" he waa "It's not too good," Mr. McDonell replied. -ft is an awful place for mo* qnitoes, and there is a lot of black-wate# fever about, as well as inalaria. Ther® i i ?f raid » be a P re % rough timi ahead of those who go there till thk swamps get drained and the count*, c earcd. The elimato is very humid, though the locality in which they are II"" " fairl y healthy!" Mr. McDonell said that the planting prospect* were very good. The output of copra m the Gulf division wouldbe enormous but for the laziness of the tiyx. who, having plenty of sago and* otjiei native foods, which could be got* with a minimum of trouble, could nofct see the force of working. The aativer were .noreasing in nu « berg ft mth"S "f7 p any « reat n tnt part of the Papuan to hire hlmJ 2£ Ms ** •""""■mi y" to'Jt-: