The Poverty Bay Oil Springs.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4239, 2 August 1882, Page 2

The Poverty Bay Oil Springs.

A Thames gentleman received the following interesting letter from Mr G. P, Hilton, who left here a few weeks ago as engineer of the Oil Springs, and has kindly consented to its publication :—

I arrived at my destination a few weeks ago ; it is about 95 miles from Gisborne along the sea coast, and 20 miles inland. It has been rather a tedious passage, all through swamps, and swimming horses across two wide rivers. The place where the Company's works are situated is upon the line of " oil belt "extending north and south for miles. The parafine is a very rich deposit, and found all over the Company's block, which consists of 2000 acres. It is a beautiful place, and the land rich, and is impregnated with this valuable deposit almost pure. Nearly all over the ground gas bubbles up, which is easily ignited upon a match being applied, and on pools " oil heads " show freely. I was astonished at the amount of machinery, here for prospecting purposes, riz., winding engines, fan machinery, and all kinds, of large boring apparatus of the most approved description to bore 2000 feet or more, and other appliances for the working of parafine. There is a large amount of parafine wax spread to various depths over the surface. It is dug" out like turf. When you leave the Coast ranges and journey inland you pass through valleys and table lands in splendid cultivation, and altogether a magnificent country. We are surrounded by Maoris who are peaceable, and anxious Tor the success of our works, and who do all in their power to help us, .making the roads and keeping them in repair for the transport of our heavy materials in bullock drays. I was received by all the chiefs, who wished me welcome, and all came with the natives from the pahs, and .we had a large korero, and complimented one another ad iib. They; informed me that there are coal seams and minerals over the country, and, when the weather clear* up, I intend to have a run along the "oil belt/ to take observations and -find >",. outcrops "and permeable atratas to trace the oil flow, and then I will be better able to judge of the resources of this portion of the country. The coal, they say, is splendid, free from sulphur, cokes well, and is contiguous to the sea coast. The Maoris here are in favor of progressive works to open up and improve the place. We are sinking a shaft, and the output is saturated with petroleum. Gas bubbles up from the bottom, but ia not in the slightest degree injurious to the health ; none of the men complain about it. We, use Davy's lamps, not that they are requisite, but only in the event of an outburst of gas, which occasionally: happens when we pick a|small oil Tein; this might ignite, being rich in hydro carbons. One good thing working in this ground (if wet) prevents you from having rheumatism on account of the petroleum.! Altogether there is a little science in the [ whole affair, and keeps you thinking occasionally, and general knowledge helps . you a great deal. If I strike oil here in j quantities there will be a pile made out of | it, and there is every indication of success. |

To give you an idea ' an exnert, a professional analytical chemist who came over from Melbourne on behalf of Australian speculators, stated that in Gallicia where the parafine wax was, he said, with such prospects in the latter place the land would bo worth £2000 per acre; the parafine wax was worth £5 per cubic yard. He offered to erect suitable plant if the Company would supply material, for 25 per cent, of the net profits arising from their sale, and' wouidj'iave no hesitation in investing £20,000 in the ground. And to demonstratejtbe value, 9821bs of surface, taken promiscuously, was sent to Melbourne in November last, where it was tested thoroughly, and conducted under the supervision of two directors of .the Company and three outsiders appointed by the Australian speculators* who reported they were satisfied as to tbe~value of the crude material, and the expert's treatment. The products extraoted as follows :— Light oils, viz.—Petroleum, sether, gasoline,-mineral turpentine 5411 m Kerosene , 132 „ Lubricating oil ... ... 40.,,. Parafine „, 304 „ Having a value of £15 8s per ton of raw material. The material sent over was of inferior quality, containing.a large percentage of roots, stones, loam, &o. Upon the expert's visit parafine butter much superior at a depth of four to 5 feet from . surfacej in treating deeper layers, yielded £?. 75 per cent, on raw material—£37 5s per ton commercially.