NAURU ISLAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12718, 13 August 1919, Page 6

NAURU ISLAND.

STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, August 12. Speaking of the Nauru Island proposition to-day, Air Massey said: “1 think it will be quite possible to export half a million tons of phosphates from Nauru when the enterprise is fully developed. This may not be for a few years, but when the initial difficulties are overcome 1 am sure New Zealand will be very glad to have these phosphates from Nauru, first because the sea carriage should not be expensive over such a relatively short distance, and secondly because the phosphates are of high quality. Of the total output, which I have suggested may be 500,000 tons a year, New Zealand will probably require a thousand tons and Australia will need at least double this quantity, for I understand they are using phosphatic manures to treat tho ground being prepared for the wheat crop.” Mr Massey added that ho thought probably the payment would be made by debentures bearing interest, and the Governments would have stabilised sinking funds at such a rate as to make jiossiblo the redemption of the debentures in twenty-five or thirty [years.