C—l2a

14

One of the drawbacks often mentioned in regard to the Dalmatians is the fact that so few of them have become permanent settlers, and that such a large proportion.o! their earnings has been sent out of the country. ft has been mentioned that an appeal has been made to Dalmatians to return to their native country, and it may be that it is in response to this appeal they are going away, and not owing to the fact that they are not able, owing to the War Regulations, to obtain land without a special license. It is suggested that the time may have arrived when the restrictions in regard to the Dalmatians taking up land should be removed. (4.) To what extent operations have progressed with regard l<> the extraction of oils and other valuable products from Jcauri peat swamps, and what are the best means of advancing the development of this industry. The so-called kauri peat differs both in respect to its origin and to its nature from true peat. It is the remains of former kauri forests, and is associated with large roots, trunks, and branches. It yields, on destructive distillation, a greater proportion of oils than any peat used commercially in other parts of the world. It lias been shown that only a small proportion of the oils obtained on distillation is derived from the kauri-gum included in the kauri peal. The remains of kauri forests occur in swamps of former swampy areas, and are, as a rule, covered by a layer, sometimes many feet thick, of a soft black peat, derived not Erom former kauri forests but from subsequent swamp vegetation. In some places there are remains of more than one kauri forest, separated by black peat. Various companies have tried during the past twenty-five years to treat pent commercially for the recovery of oils, but without the success which, the enterprise appeared to warrant. One of the pioneers in the industry was Mr. Ross Trevor, whose investigations led to the formation of a company in the Northern Wairoa district, more than twenty years ago. Some of the men associated with this company state that they did not profess to obtain oil from kauri peat alone, but largely from kauri-gum riddlings, which had then little or no value for export purposes. Nothing practical resulted from the activities of this company, largely owing, apparently, to the sudden death of its expert. Subsequently, Mr. A. N. IVlaenicol, in 1914-15, acting on behalf of a Melbourne syndicate, took careful samples of peat from various places in the Mangonui County. A considerable amount of scientific work was carried out, and a, preliminary application was lodged for an area of Government land, but the matter was not followed up. Later, a company called "Trevor Oils (Limited) " was formed, with the object of distilling peat in the neighbourhood of Kaimaumau, but was absorbed in 1917 by a larger company under the name of "New Zealand Peat Oils (Limited)." This company was granted a long lease on easy terms of 3,000 acres of Crown swamp land at Kaimaumau, on carefully-drawn-up conditions, adequately protecting the interests of the Crown. On behalf of this company samples of peat were taken by Professor F. P. Worley, of Auckland University College, at various depths from the surface, and were analysed by him and by Dr. J. S. Maclaurin, Dominion Analyst. Although the distillations were carried out in different ways by the two investigators, practically the same results were obtained by both. From the overlying black peat taken at different depths, from 20 to 30 gallons of crude oil were obtained per ton of air-dried peat, and from the kauri peat approximately 40 gallons of crude oil. Other products obtained included gas, ammonia, acetic acid, and charcoal. The oil from the kauri peat yielded on fractionation approxinlately 10 per cent, of oil suitable for motor-spirit, 80 per cent, of heavier oils, and 10 per cent, of pitch. The New Zealand Peat Oils Company carried out investigations on a semiindustrial scale, in the first instance at Kaimaumau, using a somewhat primitive distillation plant. Here crude oil was produced which was used successfully on the Northern Steamship Company's s.s. " Paroto," on a run ,from Whakatane to Auckland. Further investigations were carried out in Auckland by this company, with assistance from the Auckland Gas Company. An experimental plant was erected, the peat being distilled in a specially constructed vertical retort. The results obtained with the apparatus were, however, unsatisfactory.