THE OIL INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 June 1915, Page 4

THE OIL INDUSTRY.

PROSPECTS IN NEW ZEALAND. SHI MARCUS SAMUEL'S STATEMENT REFUTED. i A representative of the Daily New* interviewed Mr. P. A. Hadley, of Auckland, last evening in connection with the recent statement by Sir Marcus Samuel with relerence to the prospects of obtaining oil from New Zealand, which, he said, were nil, the Shell Transport Company having abandoned hope of obtaining- any in the dominion. Mr Iladley said the statement, so far • ns the public was concerned, convoyed the idea that the Shell Company had endeavored to produce oil throughout the dominion, and as a result had bad to abandon the hope of getting oil. Instead of this, however, the Shell Company had drilled for less than a year at Koluku, on the west coast of the South Island, and for two years at Weber, on the east coast of the North ' Island, but thev had never drilled anywhere in the Taranaki province. New Plymouth possessed the only proven oilfield in New Zealand, and the statement accredited to the chairman of the Shell Company) would, to say the least, seriously prejudice, if not effectively kill, this very promising industry. He and those interested were engaged in what would result in the expenditure of big capital on the New Plymouth oilfield, and should the erroneous imputation of the chairman 6f the Shell Company go unchallenged by those in the hi?h«t authority further, capital for developing this greiit national industry would not ■ be procurable.

THE TAR'AXAKI OILFIELDS; FRESH (PROPERTY OPEXED UP. The Taranaki oilfields are of particular interest to n- large number of people throughout the dominion, but especially so to people in this district, and'everyone in watching the developments no* in hand. In conversation with a Daily News reporter last evening, Mr. .P. A. Hadley stated that hitherto it had been we-' sum->d that the Bonithon plant purchased by him was to be erected on the Standard property but this was not 80, the site having been altered. It was to be. erected on the property known as fiiooley's. on the"Frankley Road. It had indications which were found on.no other property in Taranaki, declared Mr. Hadley. The Government Geologist and other experts had advocated drilling in this locality, and for years those interested in oil had been anxiously awaiting this. The new works would effectively prove the petroliferous area in this locality particularly so as the Standard oil bore, situated some half-mile north by cast of the bore site on Croolcy'a, would be completed and bored if necessary to a depth of five thousand feet. Consequently, a considerable area would be proven. The plant to be erected on Grooloy's was n. twentv-im'h Tarker Mongal rotnrv of the latest type, and, in addi- *' tion to this, a Canadian or percussion il»n+. familiar to all Taranaki oilmen, would be installed. Therefore, should • occasion arise, and the conditions for a v period prove more, suitable for tlip use of the latter plant, the same would he available and could be brought into owration within a few hours of being required. In other words, the plant • would be a combination of lotary and percussion. In addition to other requirements, accommodation for driller* and a staff of some fourteen men is to lie. erected. Grooley's and other properties would be included and form part of the Standard, aggregating some two thousand odd acres. ' The freehold of Clifford town, some sixteen acres and a half with a frontage of some 1000 ft to Devon Street, and a similar depth to Tavlv Street, had also been acquired for possible future requirements. Men had )>een at work for the past fortnight* and were onlv awaiting favorable weather to convey thp machinery and material to the new site to commence its erection.