No Progress In North Fertiliser Works Plan

Northern Advocate, 15 January 1948, Page 2

No Progress In North Fertiliser Works Plan

A CONSIDERABLE time has elapsed siece the first move was made for the establishment of a works l:o grind raw North African phosphate in Northland. More than six months ago the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Cullen) met delegates from local bodies, farmers’ organisations and representatives of other associated interests, to discuss the question. To date, nothing has been done about it.

At that time, the general opinion was that a fertiliser works such as that proposed, was essential to the agricultural development of Northland. This must still be the case, but if present progress is maintained, it will be many years before such an industry is established in this part of the Dominion.

sition which would make tlie product available in the vicinity of where it was needed. These speakers, with their knowledge of the North and of the immeasurable benefit to be obtained by adequate supplies of fertiliser, presented a strong case illustrating the need for authority to establish the industry. Their arguments received a sympathetic hearing, but Northland primary producers need more than that. They need fertiliser of the most suitable type, and at the right time, in order that their land might produce to capacity. In such a manner they can strengthen the Dominion’s position as a leading produce exporting counti’y, and at -the same time they can provide badly needed foodstuffs for the United Kingdom.

The history of the negotiations between the Auckland firm acting as agents for the sponsors of the project, and the New Zealand Government, is short. The progress made is almost negligible. APPLICATIONS DECLINED

Representations .were first made for authority to import' grinding machinery costing about £IO.OOO. This application was declined. Subsequently a second application was made for the importation of essential machinery, worth £SOO, the rest of the equipment to be bought or made in New Zealand.This proposal failed to gain approval, and further representations drew the reply that it was not possible to authorise any modification of the previous decision. Early in June of last year, the Whangarei Harbour Board, after learning of the Ministerial refusal, and being fuily alive to its responsibilities in promoting the advancement of primary production in the North, arranged a conference of all interested organisations with the Minister of Agriculture in attendance. SIDETRACKED ? After weighty evidence had been given by the speakers, the Minister gave an assurance that he would endeavour to obtain Cabinet's approval of a scheme to set up a special committee to investigate Northland’s fertiliser needs. This assurance was received with general satisfaction, particularly when, six weeks later, it was announced that Cabinet had approved the proposal.

But an analysis of the outcome oi the Whangarei conference indicates that the whole issue had been sidetracked. In September, the Minister advised postponement of the committee’s sittings. He stated that with the cessation of subsidies on fertilisers there might be local changes in fertiliser usage, both as regards kinds and quantities. Under these circumstances, the committee’s sittings had been postponed until the changes could be assessed. PURPOSE NOT FULFILLED It would appear in the light of subsequent events that the purpose of the conference was not fulfilled and from present indications might never be fulfilled. The sponsors of the conference, and all the local bodies and organisations represented at the conference required ’to hear from the Minister reasons for the refusal to grant permits for the importation of grinding machinery.

The meeting aimed at presenting sufficient reasons justifying the scheme so that the Minister might recommend that the permit be granted. Perhaps unfortunately a number of the 21 speakers impressed upon the Minister the need for a fertiliser works in Northland rather than the desirability of authority to import the necessary machinery. The old Opua-Whangarei controversy cropped up and further complications arose when the cooperativeminded organisations voiced their proposals. These diversions might have provided an easy way out. HALF A LOAF Such an investigation was not sought by the conference. The farmers’ organisations were well aware of the fertiliser needs of their districts, but perhaps' it was a case of half a loaf being better than none.

| The conference aimed at a reversal i of-the decision to refuse an import licence for grinding machinery. This objective was not accomplished. I All that eventuated was a committee, [ which has not yet met, to investigate a question on which plenty of information is already .available. Among the speakers at the Whangarei conference were several prominent men, who were well qualified by practical experience and technical knowledge to express their views on the subject. Their addresses covered a wide scope and contained much information which substantiated Northland's claims for priority in the fertiliser industry. SPEAKERS’ VIEWS Mr S. W. Smith, M.P., an executive member of the Northland Dairy Association stated that the previous unsuccessful attempt to launch a cooperative fertiliser industry in Northland was a tragedy, but it would be a far greater tragedy if the present scheme fell through. In the light of information which has come to hand since Mr Smith made this statement, it seems that his unhappy prophecy might be correct. Mr A. J. Murdoch, M.P., member of the New Zealand Dairy Board, expressed the opinion that present superphosphate works in New Zealand had reached their peak productive capacity. Raw rock phosphate importations had risen from 300.000 tons in 1945-46 to an estimate of 420.000 tons for 1947-48. I

This year’s importations would provide about 750,000 tons of superphosphate, which was the extreme capacity of the present works. Tiie engineer of the Whangarei Harbour Board (Mr W. M. Fraser) gave details of the amount of fertiliser needed in Northland. If only half of the occupied area of the province received an annual dressing of 2cwt per acre, tiie annual consumption would be 100.000 tons, he said. One of Northland’s most successful gumland farmers, Mr A. Briscoe Moore, Bledisloe Medallist, member of tiie North Island Hill Country Commission and member of the New Zealand Wool Board, stated that the phosphate was particularly suitable to Northland conditions where the high rainfall combined with a high percentage of phosphate rententive soils. His organisation was well aware of the potentialities of Northland and was prepared to support the establishment of a fertiliser works in the district, said the president of the New Zealand Fertiliser Merchants’ Federation (Mr C. F. Rosser). He agreed with Mr Moore that. North African phosphate was ideally suited to Northland conditions. The chairman of the Northland Dairy Association (Mr E. G. Appleton) observed that allocations were received too late and, in his opinion, the establishment of a fertiliser works in Northland was a cornmonsense propo-