FERTILISER INDUSTRY

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26396, 14 April 1951, Page 8

FERTILISER INDUSTRY

AMERICAN EXPERT TO MAKE REPORT ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF MANUFACTURE ■ From Our Own Reporter WELLINGTON, April 13. The Government has invited Dr. G. L. Bridger, head ot the Department of Chemical and Mining Engineering at lowa State College, to advise on the future development of the fertiliser industry in New Zealand. Because of the snortage of sulphur from the United States, the New Zealand fertiliser industry may be forced to adopt alternative methods of manufacture, principally the pyrites method. The Minister ot Agriculture (Mr K. f. Holyoake) said this evening that he had authorised the Director-General of Agriculture (Mr E. J. Fawcett}, who is attending the sulphur committee talks in Washington, to see if some expert was available to give advice to New Zealand. The United States was the most advanced country in the world in fertiliser production of the type in which New Zealand was interested. and Mr Fawcett had recommended Dr. Bridger. Mr Holyoake said that both the Department of Agriculture and the Department Of Scientific and Industrial Research had made tentative plans for the development of the fertiliser industry in New Zealand. He said that because of the difficulty in getting sulphur from the United States for the manufacture of normal superphosphate, New Zealand might have to turn to other methods, such as production from pyrites and from phosphorus. “We have made a complete survey of the future possibilities of manufacturing other types of fertiliser," said Mr Holyoake. “Some will be dependent on the development of the power supPfr We want the most up-to-date I opinion on the practicability of adopting alternative methods before making any decisions. Hence the decision of the Governn jnt to invite Dr. Bridger to visit New Zealand and make a report.”