DISCOVERY OF PETROLEUM.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3942, 19 October 1891, Page 3

DISCOVERY OF PETROLEUM.

a Company Formed to Work the Ground.

On March 29, 1889, a discovery of petroleum was announced in the Waivtapu Valley, says' the Auckland Herald. Since then the discoverer, Mr F. B. Scott, has been on the look* out for men of substance to assist in the working. On the arrival of Mr dlllinßoss and party from Melbourne, Mr Scott at once showed them his discovery. Seeing at a glance the importance of it, they readily agreed to join him and form a syndicate, and thflfanatter stands at present as follows :—Mr Mueller, Commissioner of Crown Lands, has been at Waiotapu deputed by the Government to visit tbe ground, note the boundaries, and see if working of oil would in any way interfere with the thermal sights, and prior to a lease being granted. His visit convinced him that every encouragement and assist ance should be given to this company* by the Government. The boundaries are now fixed, and next week the ground will be surveyed, and the lease fixed up. After this the syndicate will at once call op capital and start operations. The prospects are exceedingly good. Oil has been struck in various plapes and it comes to the surface in a very pure state, pronounced by Dr Hector to be a good marketable kerosene, An expert will he engaged hy the company, whose duty it will be to direct the boring operations, and test the minerals and paints which abound in this locality. Altogether everything is arranged to work the ground in a business and first-class style.