RECOVERY HOPES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24824, 22 February 1944, Page 7

RECOVERY HOPES

PHOSPHATE ISLANDS ADVANCE OF AMERICANS The American Navy's daring and successful assaults ou Japanese bases in the Central Pacific give hope that before long Nauru and Ocean Islands will b'e retaken from the enemy and brought back into use as vitally necessary sources of rock phosphate. The islands are situated almost on the equator, 170 miles apart. Ocean Island is 270 miles, and Nauru 'IOO miles, distant from the Gilbert Islands chain to. the eastward. The nearest of the Caroline Islands, Kusnio, which has lately been receiving attentions from American bombers, is 500 miles northwest of Nauru, and the distances to the enemy bases of Ponape and Truk are 800 and 1200 miles respectively. So long as the .Japanese were in full control of the Gilberts, their hold on Nauru and Ocean Islands was secure, although American raids on Nauru were reported occasionally, the purpose being apparently to hinder the construction of a base there. When Tarawa had fallen and the advance went northward into the Marshalls, the enemy forces on the two islands were cut oil except for communication with the Carolines. Now the American offensive westward has actually passed them, since Eniwetok, on which American troops have landed, is 350 miles west of Nauru, though considerably to the north. It is therefore a reasonable expectation that, after land forces are established in the Carolines, and the bases there neutralised, consideration will he given to ousting the Japanese from the two by-passed phosphate islands. On January 18, when Rear-Admiral R. B. Carney, chief of staff to Admiral W. F. Halsey, Allied commander in the South

Pacific area, was discussing with correspondents a possible offensive from the Gilberts to the Solomons, ho remarked that between the two areas the only Japanese holding which they might use to advantage was Nauru Island It is not logical," lie remarked, "to expect US to permit them to occupy this salient much longer." The export of phosphate from the islands, which amounted to about 1,250,000 tons a year before the war, was first seriously interrupted on December 27, 19-10, when German raiders sank five British ships in the vicinity and shelled the workings and shipping plant, causing much damage. Immediately after Pearl Harbour, the Japanese began to bomb Nauru. Preparations were made to destroy the whole of the plant, and eventually more than 110 Europeans and 400 Chinese were evacuated, leaving only a few British officials. The Japanese occupied the island on August 25, 1942. It was reported later that they had formed an air base there. GOODS SERVICE CHARGES SOUTH AUCKLAND INCREASE (0.C.) HAMILTON, Monday The Goods Services Charges Tribunal has decided to increase the existing goods service charges in the South Auckland district by 5 per cent as from March 1. Other provisions in the tribunal's decision include: —Where a charge for extra labour is fixed at not less than .'ss Od an hour, the rate shall not be increased, but where a lower labour charge is fixed it is to be increased to ,ia 6d an hour; where a labour charge is fixed on a per unit basis for special work, for example, sheeting trucks, bagging coal, stacking firewood in trucks, such charge shall not be increased; where a minimum charge is fixed for a special trip to pick up a parcel such charge shall not be increased.