W. SKEY.—On the Mineral Oils of New Zealand. 259 
Specifie Gravity. 
4 per cent. at :830 
4 : с Е. 831 
6 j; ДЕТ is e :8319 
87 —Oils distilled. 
13 —Residue in retort—petroleum oil, pitch. 
100 
When the residual matters in retort were reduced to 27 per cent, of the 
charge they set at 60° Fah., and had a specific gravity of ‘856, owing to the 
large quantity of paraffin present. By mixing the first three distillates, and 
re-distilling them fractionally, I obtained 4 per cent. of an oil having a 
Specific gravity of :7139. These results show that even a good sample of 
` kerosene may be charged with paraffin and light oils to a very great extent, 
The bulk of the oils, however, making up this kerosene are decidedly of 
low specific gravity, “832 being about that of the heaviest of them, so that it 
is seen the petroleum furnishing this kerosene (and I believe all our so-called 
American kerosenes) is of a different character from that of any yet found in 
this country. Thus our Poverty Bay petroleums are superior to these in being 
less charged with light oils, but perhaps a little inferior to them in having 
the bulk of their component oils of a heavier sort. However, I do not think 
much of this point, as the Canadian oil appears in good repute and is of 
precisely similar quality with the Waiapu oil. 
Since the above results were obtained I have had a very-small sample of 
an oil submitted to me by Mr. M‘Leod, of precisely similar characters with the 
one furnished by Major Ropata. It is also from about the same locality. 
Mr. M*Leod describes the oil as having been skimmed from off the surface of 
the water which had oozed into a hole that had been sunk about 2 feet deep. 
Mr. M‘Leod affirms that there is a large tract of country about there from 
which oil can be obtained in this manner. It is therefore, I think, very 
likely that the oil may be found in quantity when properly worked for. 
Anyhow, the matter is well worth following up, and I feel anxious that the 
company now being formed to practically test our eastern districts in this 
matter may meet with the success it deserves. 
