NAURU ISLAND

Otago Witness, Issue 3443, 9 March 1920, Page 7

NAURU ISLAND

ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONTROL. PHOSPHATES SOON TO BE PLENTIFUL. WELLINGTON, March 1. Arrangements for the control of Nauru Island in the interests of Britain, Australia, and New Zealand are now complete. The Prime Minister informed a Dominion reporter yesterday that he had received a communication from the Secretary of State for the Colonies through the Governorgeneral informing him that an agreement had been arrived at between the Imperial authorities, acting for the Governments of Britain, Australia, and New' Zealand on the one hand, and the directors of the Pacific Phosphate Company on the other. The agreement was now being drafted, and would be submitted to the Government in dua course. It was expected that the agreement would take effect as from July 1 D( ij t ', wllen tlie business of the company would be taken over as a going concern. Mr Massey added that superphosphate was urgently required in New Zealand at present, and the demand was likely to increase rather than diminish in the future. Arrangements for the treatment of phosphate rock within the dominion had made good progress, and he did not think much time _ need elapse before large supplies of fertiliser became available. A new establishment was being erected on the railway line near Onehunga by a Co-operative Farmers' Company, and it was anticipated that this factory, when in working order, would be able to handle 100,000 tens of phosphate per annum. Other establishments would probably be able to deal with 60,000 or 70,000 tons of the rock per annum. He though that after this season there should not be much difficulty about supplies of superphosphate. The suggestion had been made that the rock should bo converted into superphosphates before being exported from Nauru. He had been informed that this arrangement was not desirable owing to the fact that the treatment increased the weight of the rock. A ton of phosphate with_ sulphuric acid and other added materials would make a ton and ahalf of superphosphates. Mr Massey added the assurance that there would be no avoidable delay _so far as the Government was concerned in meeting the needs of farmers-