490 Proceedings. 



containing beds of lignite. The true source of the oil is still undeter- 

 mined, but is probably, as suggested by Sir James Hector in 1866, the 

 coal-seams which are supposed to underlie Mount Egmont. Before pro- 

 ceeding to discuss the prospects of oil at the places just reviewed, Mr. 

 Park briefly described the geological conditions usually attending the 

 production of oil in other parts of the globe. Mineral oil, he said, was 

 obtained from two sources — namely, from bituminous shales by distilla- 

 tion, and as a natural product from certain oil-strata. Reference was 

 then made to the oil industry in Scotland, which continued to hold its own 

 against the natural oils of America and Baku. Petroleum was found 

 associated with shales (or coals) and sandstones. The former yield the 

 oil, while the latter serve as reservoirs to collect the oil. The author then 

 went on to consider the prospects of payable oil in the three districts 

 already described. 



Prospects on East Coast of Wellington. — He did not think the indica- 

 tions sufficient to warrant the assumption that payable oil would be found 

 in this district, his reasons for this belief being as follows : (1.) That the 

 shales contained too small a proportion of carbonaceous matter to yield 

 oil by distillation. (2.) That the strata are too much shattered to afford 

 the pressure necessary to condense the volatile gases. 



Prospects at Poverty Bay. — The author said that, after a careful con- 

 sideration of the surface-evidences, he was of the opinion that payable oil 

 •would not be found at the places where boring was at present being 

 conducted, his reasons being the same as in the case of the east coast of 

 Wellington. He said the Awanui shale could not be regarded as the 

 source of the oil, as it was always at or near the surface. The dark-grey 

 shales were no doubt the true source, but they contained only 1 or 2 per 

 cent, of carbon, while the oil-shales of Pennsylvania contained from 10 to 

 20 per cent. As regards his second objection, he said the strata were too 

 much shattered and tilted to afford the pressure to condense the volatile 

 hydrocarbons, and to prevent leakage on the surface. Ample surface- 

 manifestations were not considered a good indication of payable oil. Ho 

 thought further explorations might discover places in the oil-belt where 

 the geological conditions were more favourable for the accumulation 

 of oil. 



Prospects of Payable Oil in Taranaki. — With regard to the prospects 

 here, Mr. Pa*rk said it was difficult to form an opinion, as there was some 

 doubt as to the true source of the oil. It was probably the coal-seams 

 underlying Mount Egmont ; and this hypothesis was supported by the 

 occurrence of fragments of the purest graphite among the debris on the 

 flanks of Mount Egmont. This graphite was no doubt a coal or lignite 

 altered by volcanic agencies. The bores put down at Taranaki were too 

 shallow ; and the question of payable oil could only be determined by 

 further explorations. 



Distillation of Oil-shale. — This was an important industry in Scotland, 

 and he did not see why it should not become the same here. Professor 

 Black had shown that the Orepuki shale is superior to the celebrated 

 torbanite, as it yields forty-two gallons of crude oil and other valuable pro- 

 ducts to the ton of shale, against forty gallons returned by the latter. To 

 insure the success of this industry it would be necessary to manufacture 

 our own sulphv;ric acid and alkalies. In the so-called refractory sulphides 

 on our goldfields, and the native-sulphur deposit at White Island, we had 

 an abundance of the raw material. The production of the alkalies would 

 follow as a natural consequence. Mr. Park said our bituminous shales 

 •were a valuable asset, which would no doubt yield large returns when the 

 proper time came for their develojDment. 



Mr. McKay asked the writer of tliis paper whether he had noticed the 

 presence of petroleum in the east coast district of Wellington : he said 

 that, so far as described, gas-springs only seemed to occur. Mr. McKay 



