Hill. — Oil-ivells and Oil-prospects, East Coast. 519 



Taranaki oils are widely different, the former being similar to 

 the Pennsylvania oil in the very high percentage of kerosene 

 that is in it, whilst the Taranaki oil belongs to the Caucasus 

 or Baku series — the naphthenc series — which produces a less 

 percentage of kerosene but a larger percentage of oils suitable 

 <is a lubricant or even as fuel. 



The oil from the first well attempted in Poverty Bay when 

 <lrawn had a pale light-muddy-green tinge if held up to the light, 

 but this appearance was not noticed in the oil collected on the 

 surface of the water in the springs. The greenish tinge was 

 similar in colour to the greensand rock when hammered and 

 mixed with water, and which is characteristic in the Cretaceo- 

 tortiary oil-beds along the east coast. The greensand is com- 

 posed of rotten quartz, feldspar, and minute black specks scat- 

 tered through the mass. It may be that the minute black 

 particles, which are lustrous like pitch, are bitumen, but I do not 

 think so ; still, the matter is one for the chemist to decide. The 

 greensandstone seems to be impregnated with oil, possibly from 

 the underlying beds, and should the minute particles be bitu- 

 men they were probably formed by the evaporation, solidifi- 

 cation, and consequent partial oxidation of the petroleum gases. 

 But this is merely a suggestion. 



The sketch-map accompanying this paper indicates the 

 location of oil-springs, gas-springs, &c., personally known to 

 me. Many others are no doubt known to shepherds and settlers 

 in the more remote districts, but interest in the discovery of 

 oil along the east coast had almost died away in Poverty Bay 

 until the news was spread that oil had been struck near New 

 Plymouth at a depth exceeding 2,000 ft. Already there is 

 evidence of growing interest, and more than one inquiry has 

 been made to me by outside parties anxious to know the most 

 likely places for trial bores. 



I have seen the oil from three widely separate localities in 

 the east coast north of the Mahia Peninsula, and the rock 

 from Akiteo furnishes another proof that the gas-springs, oil- 

 shales, and other gas-bearing rocks are connected with petro- 

 leum districts in the southern portion of the Hawke's Bay Dis- 

 trict. For several years I have been aware of curious gas- 

 boaring rocks between Waikopiro and Wallingford, and* gas 

 and salt springs certainly occur in the same locality. But 

 careful geological investigation is wanted, and this it is the duty 

 of the Government to undertake, just as they undertake the 

 search for gold and coal and other minerals. 



My purpose to-night is merely to direct attention to the 

 great possibilities of the east coast should petroleum oil-beds 

 be struck, as in the case of Taranaki. Trial bores can settle the 



