518 Transactions. 



As to the quality of the petroleum found in New Zealand , 

 the following copy of a letter that appeared in the Poverty Bay 

 Herald of the 11th December, 1887, from Mr. P. G. McPherson, 

 manager of the Pacific Coast Oil Company of San Francisco, 

 will suffice. A sample of the oil from the Minerva well was sent 

 to him by Mr. J. H. Stubbs, and he replied, — 



" Yours of October 8th, 1885, was duly received, also sample 

 of oil so kindly sent by you. I take pleasure in giving you the 

 results of its distillation at our refinery. The oil proves to be 

 exceedingly sweet, easily distilled and treated, furnishing an 

 illuminating-oil of fine quality and high fire-test, and the largest 

 percentage of same of any oil I have seen ; in fact, I can say it 

 is the best sample of crude petroleum that I have ever examined 

 in an experience of twenty-five years. The same as received 

 was 79 gravity, and yielded an illuminating-oil of 94 '4 per cent. ; 

 paraffin, 2*95 per cent. ; waste or loss, 2 "55 per cent. : total, 

 100. Fire test was 190°. Should you obtain this oil in payable 

 quantities its fine natural qualities would enable you to refine 

 the same with works of exceedingly inexpensive construction." 



I do not know whether any other analyses of the Poverty 

 Bay oil were made, but the oil in my possession will be forwarded 

 to Mr. Aston, the Government chemist in Wellington, and it 

 will be discovered whether it is a natural oil or whether pre- 

 viously distilled oil was used in making it up. 



Of the Moturoa petroleum as stated in the Taranaki com- 

 pany's prospectus, Professor Easterfield, of Wellington, reports : — 



" I have examined the crude petroleum sent by you on the 



6th instant, and certified as having been drawn in Mr. 's 



presence : — 



" The crude oil : The sample was of a greenish colour, red in 

 transmitted light, without offensive smell. It was semi-solid 

 at the ordinary temperature but completely liquid at 80° Fahr. 

 It contains sufficient volatile matters to flash at the ordinary 

 temperature. The specific gravity was 0"84 at 65® Fahr. Tlie 

 sample was free from water and grit. 



" Distillation test : When distilled the oil gave the follow- 

 ing products : — Per 



Cpnt. 



20 



40 



37 



2 



1 



Benzine, distilling between 55° and 150° C. 

 Burning-oil, distilling between 150° and 300° C. . . 

 Heavy oil for lubricating, between 300° and 440° C. 

 Pitch 

 Loss 



Total .. .. .. .. ..100 



It will be noticed that the qualities' of the Poverty Bay and 



