Fertiliser Scheme Envisaqed Before War

Northern Advocate, 30 October 1948, Page 4

Fertiliser Scheme Envisaqed Before War

THE decision to approve plans for the establishment of a works for grinding raw North African phosphate at Whangarei is the culmination of negotiations which began before the outbreak of the war. . The implementation of the project result m the commencement of a shipping service direct from the South Island to Whangarei. These were two of the main points which emerged when comments were sought this morning from those who were primarily concerned with the outcome oi the negotiations.

“Port Whangarei is about to come into its own, and I believe that a fertiliser works in the district would be merely the forerunner of other large industrial works,” said the Whangarei Harbour Board chairman (Mr E. L. Whimp) today. “The board is conducting confidential negotiations with a large company which wishes to establish a factory near the town.

“I feel that the farmers of the Middle and Far North have been let down by the decision of the committee to have the works at Whangarei,” said the chairman of the Bay of Islands Harbour Board (Mr J. R. Morris) to the Northern Advocate this morning, i “We have felt that the Bay of Islands harbour was the natural outlet and intake and I am not satisfied that farmers will be able to make full use iof Whangarei.

“I am naturally delighted to know that the Government has decided to approve the setting-up of a rockphosphate fertiliser works in Nortli.land,” he remarked.

“There will be great disappointment at the fact that one of the best natural harbours in New Zealand will not be made use of in the logical way. “The decision will have a great effect on the future policy regarding the facilities for shipping at Opua. “The matter will be discussed further when my board meets at Russell on Thursday,” Mr Morris said.

“Northland already exports over £6,000,000 worth of goods yearly. A fertiliser works would increase that amount considerably. SITE SUBORDINATE

“I have always considered that the question of a site for the works is subordinate to the main object. “I am glad that it has been recognised that the people who were prepared to risk their capital in the project have the right to select their own site.

“Opua's tenacity in attempting to obtain the works is to be appreciated, but I believe that it will later be recognised that the decision to site the factory at Whangarei has been a wise one.

“Whangarei will naturally benefit from the decision, and so will the Harbour Board.

“Farmers throughout Northland will benefit, and this will indirectly be for the good of the whole community. “Whangarei owes a great debt to Mr W. M. Fraser, who wa£ the first to conceive the idea of a fertiliser works at Whangarei, and to Mr A. J. Murdoch, M.P., who has done a lot of quiet work to make the idea a reality. “Several organisations have contributed in a way which deserves the highest commendation,” Mr Whimp concluded.

HISTORY OF PROJECT Tracing the history of the project, Mr W. M. Fraser said that Mr G. Datcharry, director-general of Datcharry and Co., the largest French phosphate company in Tunisia, with mines at Gafsa, Tangier, and Mr A. E. C. Vandenberg, managing director of the Diamond Fertiliser and Chemical Co., Ltd, of London, which ships fertiliser from North Africa to ports all over the world, visited Whangarei for three days, before the outbreak of World War 11.

They were shown around the harbour and agreed to make a trial shipment of phosphate to Whangarei. “I pointed out to them that they would have no difficulties concerning storage space if their raw material were processed in Northland,” Mr Fraser said. “They agreed, but considered that labour costs in New Zealand were too high for the economical running of a factory. “After their departure they arranged for the S.S. Glenpark to carry a full load of fertiliser to Auckland and Whangarei. “When the ship arrived at Whangarei 'it was given the cheapest and fastest turn-round that any phosphate ship had received anywhere in the British Commonwealth. LABOUR-SAVING DEVICE “However, even before the ship left the Mediterranean the war had broken out. “In the meantime, the Gafsa company had invented and patented a labour-saving device to cheapen the cost of processing raw phosphate. “In January,. 1943, Datcharry and Co. advised W. S. Laurie and Co., who are the New Zealand agents for the Diamond Co. that they were prepared to set up a works in Northland. “Until yesterday, the import licence for machinery was the sole stumbling block.

“A preliminary organisation, the Hyperphosphate Development Co. Ltd., has already been set up in Auckland to attend to all the necessary leases and other details in preparation for the permanent company, which will be formed later. “This permanent company will be registered in New Zealand, with capital subscribed by French, London and New Zealand interests.

“The market for the product should be large, because Northland’s soil is largely acid—as the widespread growth of tea-tree shows.

SOUTH ISLAND SHIPPING

“North Afrcian phosphate is a non-acid fertiliser, and experiments have proved it highly suitable for Northland. “Distribution ' from the works will be by rail to the north, south and west, by road as far as practicable, and by coastal shipping. “This shipping will travel, not only along the east coast of Northland, but to the South Island.

“A large ship will be visiting Whangarei about January next yeah and no doubt it will bring the machinery for the job,” Mr. Fraser concluded. Expressing his gratification at the successful outcome of negotiations, the chairman of the Whangarei County Council (Mr J. Morrison) said his council had always been keenly interested in any move to improve the working conditions of the farmers. He felt that the establishment of a works for grinding North African phosphate at Whangarei would be of tremendous benefit to the primary producers of Northland.

The site chosen for the works at Port Whangarei would commend itself to all roading authorities in Northland, as it would enable the fertiliser to be transported by barge or scow to many landing places on the east coast of Northland.

Distribution by sea would result in a considerable saving as far as roading was concerned, Mr Morrison commented. MOST IMPORTANT MOVE “For agriculture .in Northland, this is the most important move since the establishment of cooperative dairy factories,” said the chairman of the Northland District Pig Council (Mr H. W. James), who has taken a keen interest in the project since it was first mooted.

Financially, the setting-up of fertiliser works at Whangarei would be of very real benefit to all farmers, while, from the production viewpoint, the fact that fertiliser would be available when it was needed., was a most important aspect.

The works would no doubt play a very great part in the future development of Northland.

WHANGAREI CONGRATULATED

“I must congratulate Whangarei on its having been awarded the works. “The hard work that was put into ihe effort from the ground floor up has warranted success. Mr Morris remarked that the committee’s decision was all the more disappointing locally because not one witness from north of Whangarei was called to give evidence. (

He had asked for evidence to be taken relating to the northern district but apparently this was not done at any stage.