NAURU AGREEMENT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15247, 21 June 1920, Page 5

NAURU AGREEMENT.

VALUE OF THE PHOSPHATES. iElec. Tel. Copyright— United Press Assn.l (Reuter's Telegram.) LONDON, June 18. In moving tho second reading; of. the Bill confirming the agreement 'between the Imperial and the Australian and New Zealand Governments regarding. Nauru, Mr Leslie Wilson, empliasised' the richness of the phosphate deposits* on the island.' He pointed out that the ■natives keenly desired to remain under British rule. Mr Wilson also emphasised tho urgency of the need for mora phosphate m view -of the world shortage of wheat m 1919 and the.-'ex-haustioni of the soils. He quoted the estimate m< the report to the NNcrw r Zealand! Parliament that there are at least. 30,000,000 'to 100,000,^)60 tons of phosphate on ."Nauru, whioh is believed to 'be the largest reserve of high-grade phosphate • rock .m the world, while tne deposit at Ocean Island is believed to be deeper. _ Mr ICenworthy maintained that owing to the distance between Nauru and the United Kingdom the arrangement would not be a good commercial proposition for this country. Mr Leslie Wilson, replying, pointed out that before tho (war . Germany took all the phosphate .she could get at Nauru to Stettin at an even greater distance than to England, and the company paid between 2$ to 60 per cent, dividends. ■Sir* Newton Moore congratulated the Government on. the v arrangement, which would be of the greatest Rvalue to agriculture and would moan cheap wheat m many countries. Several members reiterated the Opposition, argument regarding the League of Nations aspect of .the question.