MANGAONE OILWELLS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 29 November 1912, Page 5

MANGAONE OILWELLS

THE OFFICIAL OPENING

LARGE ASSEMBLAGE OF SETTLERS.

(By Our Special Reporter.)

No event that has been celebrated in the Forty-Mile Bush for many yours lias created such widespread interest and enthusiasm as that of yesterday. .It was, indeed, a red-letter day in the history of the northern portion of the Wairarapa district. A few years ago two enterprising Hastings towns. men visited Eketahuna in pursuit of ooal. One of them was approached by Mr W. B. Matheson, of Rongomai Valley, and asked why ho did not prospect for oil, instead of coal. "What are the indications?" he asked. Mr Matheson assured him that they wero to be found in the Mangaono Valley. A few weeks later, Mr F. Cassin, of Hastings, accompanied by an oil expert, was on the spot. So impressed was the expert with what he saw, that Mr Cassin ■ immediately acquired options over a large area of country—probably 20,000 acres. Time went on, and the presence in the Dominion of Messrs Hermann and Weger, two exports who had had wide experience with the j Standard Oil Company, was taken ad-

vantage of. They went over the country, and were, so satisfied that they offered to place their services at the disposal of a company should it ho formed. THE COMPANY FORMED. Mr Cassin and the settlers inter-

ested speedily got to work. In a few r "months the capital required was forthcoming, the shares were allotted, and an order was placed for the machinery. The latter was designed by Messrs Hermann and Weger themselves, and was manufactured in Napier. Some delay was experienced in getting the machinery on the ground, Imt at length everything was in order, and at 1 o'clock yesterday morning the works were set in motion. THE FIRST BORE.

Messrs Hermann and Weger, who nave a financial interest in the company, have been engaged to put down two trial bores. The first is on a section adjoining the residence of Mr F. White, on the Pah Valley road, about twelvo miles from Eketahuna. It is on flat, papa land, at the foot of a hill, with nothing to indicate to the layman the existence of more than a spring of water. Sti], the experts are confident that they have made a start at a spot where an oil-well is in existence, and they hope to strike the crude petroleum before they have reached a. depth of more than 2000 ft. The building in which the machinery is installed is constructed of iron. The boring plant is worked by the aid of a ; centrifugal pump. The system employed is , n combination of cable and rope, and the effluent is liberated into a dam in nn adjoining field. The plant is said, to be the most modern and effective that is procurable. Although a commencement was made with boring operations yesterday morning,. a depth of 40ft was reached by the afternoon, and this despite the fact that the drill encountered a huge log at a depth of some 30 ft. Jt is expected that oil will be reached within two months from date. ,Tho machinery j s to be kept going night and day." THE OFFICIAL OPENING.

The official owning of the wells took place at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, when, several hundred persons, including visitors from Hnwke's Bay. Pahiatua, Masterton, Eketahuna and surrounding districts wero present. The visitors included Mr G R Sykes M.P., Mr F. C. Turner (Mayor of Eketahuna), a number of ladies representatives of the Wai'rarapa Age, Eketahuna Express, arid Pahh'a Herald, and an army of photographers. Mr F. Cassin, managing director of the company, in a short speech, extended a welcome to shareholders and othors. He expressed regret that, through circumstances over which they had no control-, the commencement of -operations''had' been delayed. They had encountered many difficulties, but these had all been overcome, and he was pleased to say that everything was now running as smoothly as possible. He assured those interested that since « start had been made, operations would proceed more rapidly than in any other part of the Dominion. They had the best plant procurable and were fortunate in securing the services of two of the best oil-borers in the world. Thoy believed that within two months' time they'would be down to a depth of 2000 ft. It had taken other plants two years to reach such a depth. He thanked the owners of properties for the patience and generosity they had. displayed towards tho company. The oompany was really a co-operative one, for most of the owners interested wero large shareholders. Mr Cassin pointed out that it was necessary for ■an oil company to start in a fairly large way if it hoped to dispose, of its output to advantage. Tho oil experts who had visited the North Island had stated that in no country in -Cfche world were there brighter prospects for oil than in New Zealand. The experts of tho company had heen engaged 'to sink two wells, and their services were in great request from ■other parts. They hoped, however, to reach oil with tho first here, and to have another gathering in two ■ months' time to celebrato its finding. | (Applause.) They were sanguine of

success, and would do their best to justify the confidence of the settlers and " shareholders. (Renewed applatKse.) . Mr.G. R. Sykes, M.P.. said that it was his privilege and pleasure a few weeks ago to ta.ke part in the ceremony of turning the sod of Eketahuna's Water supply scheme. Ho was pleased to be able to congratulate the settlers of the surrounding districts that day upon tho commencement of another important undertaking. Great things were expected of the oil industry, and Jie believed that great tilings would bo attained in the Mangaono district. Experts had said that it was one of the best oil-bearing valloys they had seen. Ho trusted that, as a result of what was being commenced that day, Eketahuna. would develop from a small borough into a large city. That had heen the experience in other countries where oil wells were established. He sincerely hoped that tlio company would bo successful, and that an industry woidd develop which would benefit tho whole district and the Dominion at large. He had very great pleasure in formally declaring the works'"

to be open. (Applause.) Refreshments were served bv » committee of Indies in Mr White's woolshed, which was a fitting termination to -a most interesting function.