ISLAND PHOSPHATES

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 44, 16 November 1925, Page 10

ISLAND PHOSPHATES

HUGE ’INCREASED SHIPMENTS. A through passenger from Vancouver to Sydney by the R.M.S. Niagara, interviewed at Auckland was Mr. H. H. Pope, Commissioner for Australia for the British Phosephate Commissioij, Discussing the subject of phosphates ftom Nauru and Ocean Islands with a “Star” reporter, Mr. Pope said that for the year ending June 30, 1925, the quantity of phosphates which had been exported from these two islands constituted a record of 471,000 tons. The previous year was also a record, some ■152,000 tons having been exported from the islands. Last year’s distribution was made up as follows: —To New Zealand, 99,000 tons; Australia, 337,000 tons; and to other countries, 35,000 tons.

During the first five years of operations a total of 1,962,000 tons of phosphates had been sent away from the islands. During the first year the amount was 364,000 tons; second year, 361,000 tons; third, 314,000 tons; fourth, 452,000 tons; and fifth, 471,000 tons. The drop in the tliird year’s figures was attributable to trade depression generally. The 1,962,000 tons were exported to the following countries:—United Kingdom, 32,000; New Zealand, 267,000; and Australia, 1,298,000; -whilst other countries took 365,000 tors.

Mr. Pope went on to say .that l{e expected that during the present ' year Australia would take at least 400,000 tons of phosphate from Ocean and Nauru Islands, as it was estimated she would require 800,000 tons of superphosphates for topdressing. To give some idea of the remarkable increase in phosphate importation to Australia, Mr. Pope said that when he went to the islands 22 years ago, Australia was only importing 25,000 tons per year. So far as Mr. Pope could see the phosphate trade to both New Zealand and Australia would increase. Both were essentially agricultural countries, and were developing along parallel lines.

A glance at tlie map would show that all the principal distributing phosphate ports in Australia and New Zealand were about the same distance away from the islands in question, the one exception being Fremantle. In Ocean and Nauru Islands these two countries had a wealth of phosphates which he calculated would last for 200 years or over.

Asked what amount he thought New Zealand would take this year, Mr. Pope said that as Mr. A. F. Ellis, the New Zealand Commissioner, was returning in about a fortnight’s time, he would not care to say. Pressed for an answer, Mr. Pope estimated the amount at about 120,000 tons. When the United Kingdom’s small importations were referred to, Mr. Pope explained that for four years that country did not import phosphates. Remarking that Australia’s quota was a huge one" in comparison, the “Star” reporter was informed by Mr. Pope that Australian pastoralists and graziers were now taking up topdressing with superphosphate with truly wonderful results. Whereas formerly a “scraggy” beast was carried to the acre, now two and a-half to three head of fat cattle were being accommodated. All this increase was due to topdressing.