NAURU PHOSPHATE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 4 July 1928, Page 9

NAURU PHOSPHATE

HIGF. DEPOSITS ON ISLAND. MODERN METHODS EMPLOYED. The history of the discovery and working oi the vast phosphate depusits on Nauru and Ocean Islands was told to inemuers ot the Agricultural Science v lub at Auckland in an interesting lecture by Mr. A. F, Ellis, New Zealand representative on the British Phosphate Commission.

On each island tlie formation, was almost entirely phosphate, and in places the deposits were Gift, in depth. Even the roads were of phosphate. Originally the phosphate was swept into baskets and even scooped up with cocouinit shells, but to-day Chinese did much of the labour with modern machinery operated by electric power. shipment was made difficult by the stormy coastal conditions and the depth ot the anchorages, steamers having to moor to buoys anchored in 200 fathoms. Realising the necessity* for speeding up production irom the present' rate oi -joj,G\.O or 600,000. tons a year, the commission, aiming at 1,000,000 tons, was installing a system by which it •was hoped to deliver direct to ships’ holds and completely load a steamer in a day.

The origin of the great deposits remained obscure. Certain it was that Nauru had three times been submerged and again raised above sea level, and phosphate was even now found under the sea. There’’-*was. no overlay—the phosphate commenced everywhere right from the surface, and it was necessary only to remove the hush to commence work.

So -scarce did .water at times become that condensers were installed to augment the supply', but the islands were healthy and free from fever, although several hospitals were maintained. There had been some sickness this year, however, an d that, together with bad weather, would restrict the year’s output to about 500,000 tons, compared with the record of 600,000- tons last year.