LECTURE ON CHILE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18663, 20 March 1924, Page 9

LECTURE ON CHILE.

• 1 r . ' - ■'• •• -\ ' THE . NITRATE INDUSTRY. An interesting lecture on' "Chile and ?Its Nitrate Industry" was delivered by Mr. A. E. Stephen, of Sydney, at St. Andrew's Hall, Lower Symonds Street, last evening. In the absence of Air. McLennan, president of the Agricultural and . Pastoral Society, under the auspices of which the lecture was given, -Dr. J. A. Clinch introduced the lecturer.

Mr. Stephen first dealt with the - discovery, conquest and ' colonisation •of South America and of Chile in particular. He described the geographical ' conditions of the country and showed a number of lantern slides illustrating the beautiful mountain scenery and depicting the life and characteristics of the people. The buildings of the capital city of Santiago were much admired *by the audience.

Nitrate of ■ soda, the lecturer said, was obtained in a practically waterless region,, about ,000 tequarja mules in area, ,in the north of Chile. A population of 30,000 depended on the industry for their means of livelihood. Two and a-half million tons of the product were exported annually. . . . Touching on the use. of . nitrate of soda in this country Mr. Stephen expressed the opinion that the carrying capacity of some lands could be doubled by the proper use of . fertilisers. He emphasised the importance of topdressing and mentioned experiment® , in that direction carried out by prominent agriculturists in the Auckland province and elsewhere. He referred to the new shipping line inaugurated- by a Chin we company between New Zealand and South America, by which it was hoped a reciprocal trade might be . introduced . The lecture will be repeated at Henderson this evening.. .