THE GISBORNE OIL WORKS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1632, 10 September 1887, Page 4

THE GISBORNE OIL WORKS.

Gisborne, September 4, Very keen interest has been aroused here by the development regarding oil, and the next movements to be made are awaited with eagerness. Mr Fleming returns at once to Sydney via Auckland, and is confident of being able to form in these cities a company to lay down a line of pipes to Gisborne, and another to erect a refinery here. For each purpose about £IO,OOO will be required. Pumping plant is to be obtained immediately. Mr Fleming asserts that within one year there will be many bores down, and a pipe line and refinery be in full work ; and the Minerva Company, which has full plant on the ground, and has been waiting for the results of the South Pacific bore, has decided to start boring immediately. It is understood also that a Christchurch Company which has a lease on the Waipawa run, will get boring plant and start work. The South Pacific Company has a lease of 6000 acres, parts of which-it will now sub-lease to others, the Company taking a royalty on the oil obtained. _ The advantages both indirect and direct of the oil industry here must be enormous. The oil found is worth, for lubricating from 6s to 10s a gallon (sic), being simply unsurpassable as a lubricator. There is a stnp of country eighty miles long, and 18 miles wide, in whi fii there are small springs of oil and gas fissures at small intervals. The prospect of success has made everyone hopeful. There has been a total of £70,000 spent in boring for oil here during the last thirteen years, and there has been a long series of huge difficulties to overcome, accidents always happening just when success seemed to be close at hand. The Pacific Company has applied to the County Council for permission to lay a pipe along the road so far as the road goes. It is believed the laying of the pipes will take two months after arrival.