Fertiliser Works Project For East Coast Area

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22727, 27 August 1948, Page 6

Fertiliser Works Project For East Coast Area

(5.R.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 26. Developments are taking place i Indicating that (he project for the jestablishment of fertiliser works to I® serve the east coast of the North Island is rapidly taking shape. There are necessarily a number of preliminaries, but once certain basic decisions are made the way will bo clear for the inauguration of a limited liability company and the raising of capital) which might have to amount to £750,000. As to the site, the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. E. L. Cullen, has given his opiniop that Napier offers most advantages for a works, which would distribute its output from Gisborne to Woodville, and there is ample land in the inner harbour area, probably towards the foothills and at least two miles from Napier. Napier Harbour Facilities One important point on which the promoters may still require an assurance is whether the Napier harbour facilities would enable a vessel with a phosphate cargo of 10,000 tons to be berthed at the wharf. This is the largest sized vessel in the trade and from an economic viewpoint it is considered undesirable to discharge half a cargo in one port and then proceed to another where a lighter draught is required. However, the Napier Ilarbout Board appears to be satisfied that there is already sufficient water to berth a steamer having 10.000 tons ol cargo. Complete data regarding the probable demand for fertiliser in the area from Gisborne to Woodville has been collected and it is believed that if the proposed works had an output of between 80,000 and 100,000 tons annually it would be readily absorbed in that area. The Minister of Agriculture holds the opinion that there are large tracts of good land between Napier and Wairoa hungry for fertiliser and capable of great development if this becomes available. Similar prospects for a further expansion of production exist south of Hastings. Though there, has been a long, delay in bringing the scheme to the point of practical action, it has at least provided one advantage because the heaviest item of capital expenditure, that required for machinery, can be imported on the basis of the lower exchange rate.