NAURU ISLAND

Northern Advocate, 16 December 1920, Page 1

NAURU ISLAND

INTERESTING HISTORY.

ITS PHOSPHATE WEALTH

In view of New Zealand's partnership in the phosphate deposits of Nauru and Ocean Islands the following account of the former by the "Sydney Herald's ,, Federal representative is quite timely.— For innumerable ages past the habitation of countless sea birds, the island of Nauru has suddenly become a place of international ii.iportance; Discussion has raged round it in the councils of the nations, aud it has been added to the . many other valuable assets of the British Empire. How valuable an asset it is may be gauged from the words of Colonel Leslie son, the Parliamentary Secretary to tho Ministry of Shipping, who, as the Minister in charge of the Nauru Island Agreement Bill, said necently in the House of Commons: —"There never was a more sound investment for tho Empire, 'not only from the financial point of view, but also from the point of view of securing for all time an allimportant raw material for the rejuvenation of our land, the demand for which is made now to a very large extent, and a demand which must inevitably increase as the years go by." In 1919 it was apparent that there was going to be a general shortage of wheat throughout the world, and the tendency to exhaustion of the new soils of the world meant a largely increased demand for phosphates. Germany had maintained her agricultural production with tho aid of large quantities of phosphate maimras. In fact, in 1913, she used no less than 3,500,000 tons, including basic slag. In 1913 the United Kingdom used 743,000 tons of phosphates, and it was suggested that if a policy of increasing the area of arablo land was to bo pursued that amount would have to be nearly doubled. Canada and South Africa have also increased their demands. The production of .superphosphates has been greatly facilitated by numerous acid plants erected in the United -Kingdom and the Dominions for munitions purposes. early; stages.

Details of the history of Nauru arc not generally familiar. It was also known at one time as Pleasant Island, and is situated totte west of theTSilice and Gilbert Islands, south of the Marshall Islands, and to the north-east of the Solomon Island.'. It is within a degree south of the equator, and is about eight miles square; The island may be described as an. uplifted coral atoll, the highest point of which is about 100 feet" above sea level., Dejoeta of the innumerable birds who have made it their resting place for ages has permeated the coral rock to a considerable depth—something over 40 feet. The island was discovered by Captain Hunter in 1798, and was annexed by Germany in 1888. At the outbreak of war it was administered as part of the Marshall Islands, and on September 9, 1914, the island was unconditionally surrendered to H.M.A.S. Melbourne. Later—on September 17—it was included in the capitulation at Babaul. At the request of the Government of Australia, the administration was then undertaken by the High Commissioner for the Pacific: There are some 1700 indigenous natives of the island, and they are said tto be an extremely handsome, intelligent, and Christianised race. They have, since the capitulation, expressed their keen desire to remain under British rule, being aware probably of the advantages which accrue from British rule, from their neighbours in tho Ellice Islands. During the war they petitioned the King to be allowed to remain under his rule. During the discussions a* Paris preliminary to the Peace Conference it became clear that the mandate for Nauru would come to the British Empire, and the question of the future administration of the island became a subject of conversation between the Dominion rpresenitativcs who were interestedj Nauru is practically a r,pck of solid phosphates, and the Dominions Royal Commission report of IWI7, pointed on* how dependent the Empire was on foreign sources for supplies of phosphates. The rock phosphate found in Nauru is not .generally applied I/j its crude state. It is converted into superphosphates by means of sulphuric acid. As illustrating the demand for the product it may be mentioned that "the average net imports into the United Kingdom fro.n 1909 to 1913 were 487,000 tons, and the exports of superphosphates during the same period were 121,000 tons, the chief customers being Australia and New Zealand. These phosphates came from Florida and Nor£h Africa, and were from lower grade ores than are found at Nauru.