THE NAURU ISLAND DEPOSIT.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 184, 5 August 1919, Page 7

THE NAURU ISLAND DEPOSIT.

VALUABLE PHOSPHATE EIGHTS. From Samoa, the discussion naturally went to Nauru Island and its phosphate deposits. "Nauru Island," , remarked the Premier, "was occupied by Australian troops during the war, and it was natural therefore that Australia should | get a considerable voice in the disposal of the island. Again, for some reason orj other we in New Zealand had made very | little u?e of the phosphates at Nauru, j fcut in view of the fact that we can get no more basic slcg from England it becomes of immense importance that we hare free access to Nauru and are able to get our phosphates in future from the island at the lowest possible rate. We have been able to secure this by getting the island placed under the control of t!ie British Empire. The Empire holds the mandate. Australia and Xew Zealand come in under a proposal which has been put forward, and by which the old company's rights are acquired. That proposal is hi the hands of the Secretary of •State for the Colonies, Lord Milner, who i> a good business man and will do everything possible to conserve the interests of the parties to the proposal. Then conies the question of how much phosphate we may require. That, of course, was impossible for mc to answer, hut we

j have arranged for a re-adjustment every j five years respecting the requirements of I the three countries interested. The immediate arrangement under which New ! Zealand gets sixteen -per cent of the j phosphates produced is merely tentative ' therefore. If we require more we can, get it from Britain's nominal share."