ISLAND PHOSPHATE

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 August 1946, Page 3

ISLAND PHOSPHATE

STEAMER TO LEAVE FOR NAURU (P.A.) AUCKLAND, August 2. An announcement that the export of phosphate from Nauru and Ocean Islands is being resumed for the first time since early in the war, was made in Auckland to-day by Sir Albert Ellis, New Zealand representative on the British Phosphate Commission. Two ships are at the islands to load for Australia, and a third is expected. A steamer will shortly leave Auckland for Nauru to load the first cargo for this port. Sir Albert Ellis explained that the chief importance of resumption of work at the islands was that less low-grade phosphates would be imported from other sources. A large quantity of phosphate was expected from a number of ports during the year, and the position was definitely improving. Before the war the two islands yielded about 1,250,000 tons of phosphate a year. Export was first seriously interrupted in December, 1940, when German raiders sank five British ships in the vicinity and caused damage to the works and plant. Immediately after Pearl Harbour, the Japanese began to bomb Nauru, and occupied both islands in August, 1942. Their loss had a serious effect on agriculture, ' particularly in New Zealand and Australia. As the phosphate is of the highest grade, the closeness of the islands to both countries also had a great advantage on the economical use of ships and lower freight rates. Nauru Island was retaken from the Japanese by an Australian force last September, and Ocean Island, the last of. the Central Pacific islands to be regained, was taken early in October. Repair work was begun almost immediately.