OIL PROSPECTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 May 1919, Page 4

OIL PROSPECTS.

EVIDENCE BEFORE INDUSTRIES COMMISSION. By Teltgraph.—Press Association. Wellington", Last Night. Before the Industries Committee, Mr. A. J. Rutherford gave some opinions about oil deposits, a matter which ha had discussed, he said, with the lute Sir James Hector. It had been his opinion always that there would he no more big beds of oil struck near the coast of Taranaki owing to the violence of the volcanic disturbances that had occurred there, but further inland, beneath the great envelope of papa, there might bo found oil in large quantities. This papa envelope had not been pierced, except on the Taranaki coast, where there wero little pockets of oil. It was of great depth, because it was accepted that the islands of New Zealand were merely the high altitudes of a great continent. He would advise prospecting inland. It would be expensive, and the work ought to be done by the Government. Ho was strongly of opinion that in this way, if at all, oil would be found, and it would be invaluable .to the Dominion if oil should be found in quantity. At places where there were clear indications of faults in the strata there were also f/igns pf oil. He would like to see the Government carry on its prospecting under the advice of the best experts procurable.