Oil Search Ltd.

New Guinea Operations

OIL SEARCH LTD. reported at the end of last month concerning its

operations at Matapau, Mandated Ter

ritory of New Guinea, as follows;

Opening up by dynamiting the face of the recently disclosed rocks above the seepages in the Wakip River district has produced much valuable information. At one point 395 feet above sea level, the rock has been penetrated to a depth of about 14 feet, with a wall space of 11 feet. The last four feet is in what appears to be a dyke formation Throughout this formation all joints are full of oil. The bedding planes cross this section and show freely moving oil. This is appar ently a dyke coming up through the sediment ary strata, where the oil is accumulating This condition is met with in many of the producing oilfields of the world, and boring for production in the vicinity of these dykes has produced many commercial wells.

Copra exported from Tonga during

1930 totalled 14,134 tons, which was valued at £169,609. Also included in the exports were: Fungus of a value of £93; hides, valued at £58; live stock, £45; and oranges, £19.