Page 4 Advertisements Column 5

Taranaki Daily News, 31 July 1920, Page 4

DEVELOPING OIL RESOURCES. The brief discussion which recently took place in the House on the subject of the need for developing the oil resources of the Dominion, threw some light on the views of the Government in relation to this extremely important matter. The member- for Riccarton (Mr. 6. Witty) had submitted a question as to whether the Government would compel the outside syndicates who had purchased oil-bearing wells and. then closed them down, to work the wells to their fullest capacity, or sell same to the Government within six montfcs, so that the people of the Dominion might receive some benefit from its own products. Mr. Massey was unfortunate in the matter and method of his reply, which certainly conveyed the impression that, although the Government had rendered financial assistance for developing oil wells in Taranaki, it was doubtful whether oil existed in payable quantities, but possibly the Orepuki shale oil could be made a comlercial success by the adoption of proper methods—at least that was the information given to him by an expirienced man who had worked on oilshale deposits in Scotland. "We have all been greatly disappointed about die Taranaki oil wells," said the Premier, and he added that if there were any "real" prospects of sucqeß9, Government help would be forthcoming. The fact of the matter is that the Government has signally failed to render any "real" help towards adequately testing the Taranaki oilfields, and what insignificant grants have been made, were only secured by persistent dunning, and were obviously too small to be of any use except to tide over a crisis. The development of the resources of the country has been woefully neglected, and yet it should have been regarded as one of the most important and urgent matters undertaken and i.'arried on by the Government of the day. Left to priva> enterprise and lacking sufficient capital, it is not surprising that the oil industry languished, the marvel being that so much was accomplished in spite of heavy handicaps. Mr. 8. G. Smith, M.P., put the position fairly when he expressed the opinion , that he thought the best course of action