NAURU PHOSPHATE

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 36, 12 February 1938, Page 13

NAURU PHOSPHATE

EXPANDING INDUSTRY

NEW ZEALAND IMPORTS

"The phosphate industry at, Nauru and Ocean Islands continues to expand," said Commander R. C. Garsia, Administrator at Nauru Island, who arrived at Auckland on Thursday afternoon by the British Phosphate Commission's motor-ship Triaster. "The industry is still under the guiding hand of Mr. A. F, Ellis, the New Zealand Commissioner in co-operation with the British and Australian Commissioners."

The consumption of phosphate by New Zealand and Australia had risen by several hundred thousand tons in the last two years, Commander Garsia added. At Nauru new machinery had been installed last year and further increases in the plant would be made in the near future in order that the demands of Australia and New Zealand could be fully met without delay. New Zealand in 1937 had imported nearly 200.000 tons of phosphate from Nauru alone and a further amount had been taken from Ocean Island.

"It is a source of great satisfaction to the Nauru Administration to watch the wise and efficient organisation of this great industry under the control of the Commissioners," said Commander Garsia. Their policy was to plan for the future and to meet the greatly increasing demands as the industry expanded.