TUNISIA PHOSPHATE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 226, 23 September 1943, Page 3

TUNISIA PHOSPHATE

SHIPS NOT AVAILABLE STATEMENT BY MINISTER (0.C.) WHANGAREI, this day. "Phosphate is available in Tunisia, but there are no ships to carry it to New Zealand," said the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Barclay, at Maungakaramea last night, in rebutting allegations made by Mr. A. J. Murdoch. National candidate for the Marsden seat, that the Government had hampered the importation of North African fertilisers.

"Immediately after the freeing of Tunisia, we cabled Britain asking that ships be allocated to bring phosphates to New Zealand, but the London committee controlling mercantile tonnage has been unable so far to make ships available for the purpose. All Tunisian phosphates are being sent to Britain, Russia and other northern countries, where the need also is acute. The last cable 1 sent before leaving Wellington was to Washington, pointing out that unless ships were allowed to bring additional phosphates to the Dominion it would be impossible to supply the American forces in- the Pacific with the required foodstuffs. A special committee in Australia allocates quantities of phosphates for both countries. We could not possibly have done more. In fact, to give the present fertiliser ration we are eating into our reserves."