§ 3. Mr. G. Hardieasked the Secretary for Mines whether it is proposed to make further bores for oil at West Calder and D'Arcy?
§ Captain CrookshankWork of this nature is carried out by licensees operating under the Petroleum (Production) Act, 1934. None of the oil prospecting licences 5 so far granted includes the district of West Calder, but a licence covering an area of about 12 square miles, which includes D'Arcy, is held by the Anglo-American Oil Company. I am not in a position to disclose the intentions of the licensee as to the particular localities which he may select for his operations within this licensed area.
§ Mr. HardieWhy is such information withheld from the country? It is well known in that area that there is every prospect of getting oil. Why should not the people be made aware of the fact?
§ Captain CrookshankLicences are accompanied under the regulations of 1935 by a working programme. If it is such a certainty that oil is there, obviously it is in the interest of the licence holders to try to find it.
§ Mr. HardieWhy do not the Government take action, because these people may be holding up oil against a rising market, and in that way they are not carrying out the interests of the nation?
§ Mr. MacquistenIs it not a fact that they tried for oil for many months at D'Arcy and got nothing?
§ Captain CrookshankNot nothing. It produced about seven tons.