NAURU PHOSPHATE

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 71, 24 March 1926, Page 11

NAURU PHOSPHATE

-♦— HEAD OFFICE FOR NEW ZEALAND

COMMUNICATIONS WITH AUSTRALIA.

It was announced by the Commonwealth Prime Minister (Mr. S. M. Bruce) in the Federal House of Representatives on Monday that the Fauru Phosphate Commission had resolved that the head office cf the Commission should be removed to New Zealand. Mr. Bruce said the iiinistry was doing everything possible to prevent the proposed transfer.' ' ■ '■•".■ • Negotiations concerning the transfer ■have been proceeding between the New Zealand and Commonwealth Govern-, ments for some time, and this was one of the matters discussed by Sir Neville Howse, V.C., a Commonwealth Cabinet Minister, when he was in the Dominion recently. . . ' . ' It is understood that the position is somewhat delicate, and that communications are still passing between the | two Governments on the matter.' No official information was forthcoming today, when inquiries were made by a "Post" reporter on the. subject. Great Britain, New Zealand, and Australia, are represented on the Nauru Phosphate Commission.. Nauru Island was taken from Germany during the war, the occupation being carried out by- Australian Forces. Under an agreement, New Zealand receives a proportion of the phosphate. It is believed that it would be advantageous to New Zealand if the head office of the Commission were re : moved here Possibly Auckland would be selected, as there are phosphate crushing wofks near there, and the shipments of rock- are made to Auckland. .■•...■■■""