NEW PHOSPHATE SHIP

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27874, 24 January 1956, Page 5

NEW PHOSPHATE SHIP

ADDITION TO FLEET IN PACIFIC (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, January 23. The British Phosphate Commissioners have ordered a new 14,000-ton ship to carry phosphate from Nauru and Ocean Islands to Australia and New Zealand. It is to be named the Tri Ellis, in honour of the late Sir Albert Ellis, the “father” of the Pacific phosphate industry. He discovered the rich Nauru and Ocean Island deposits in 1900, became island manager and local director during the subsequent exploitation of the phosphate rock and, at his death in 1951, had been New Zealand Phosphate Commissioner for 31 years. The announcement about the new ship was made today by Mr C. M. Richwhite, the present New Zealand Phosphate Commissioner, who succeeded Sir Albert Ellis. He said the British Phosphate Commissioners placed the order with Harland and Woolf, of Glasgow, during his recent visit to Britain. It has been left with him to discuss with Lady Ellis a suggestion that the ship should be named after her husband. Lady Ellis had today agreed with this. The names of all the commissioners’ ships start with “Tri”—symbolising the triple partnership between Britain, New Zealand and Australia in the Nauru and Ocean Islands phosphate industry. The ship will be completed in 1958.