NAURU PHOSPHATES

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 16, 21 July 1921, Page 8

NAURU PHOSPHATES

PRICE DEVELOPMENTS SHORTLY.

A question in. regard to the prices charged for phosphates from Na.uru. and Ocean Island was pu,t to tho DirectorGeneral of Agriculture (Dr. C. J. Reakes) at this, morning's meeting o£ the Council of Agriculture. A delegate stated that he had heard that a shipment of 2000 tone of Nauru phosphates at Auckland wharf cost £4 18s a ton, and that the cost of the manufactured article would be £7 18s a ton.

Dr. Reakcs said ho had a quotation with him, in a newspaper dated 20th Juno, which showed raw phosphate at £7 12s a ton. Before he had left for Australia at tho beginning of May ho had beon advised by an Auckland 6rm that* they were putting ground raw phosphate on tho market at J67 15s a ton —3s more. It was necessary to explain the position of supplies. Owing to reasons which he could not then go into, the supply of phosphates from Nauru had beon delayed, and it was only recently that cargoes had come to hand. Dr. Eeakes explained how companies had had to make their arrangements in regard to supplies and shipping months ahead, and that a more costly rock phosphate had been coming to New Zealand until just recently. This had caused a transition period, which had been a littlo bit awkward in the matter of price; but ho could assure tho conference that the Government and tho Department were keeping in very close touch with tho matter of prico, and he thought farmers would probably see developments quickly.