NAURU PHOSPHATE.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15314, 15 August 1923, Page 6

NAURU PHOSPHATE.

RAW MATERIAL REDUCED.

COMMISSIONERS TO CONTROL.

By Telegraph.—Special to Times WELLINGTON, Tuesday.

That New Zealand has exceeded the quota of Nauru phosphate she undertook to absorb of the output of Nauru and Ocean Island is a bright feature of the annual report of the Agriculture Department, which was laid on the table of Representatives yesterday. i

A good deal of business was done in the importation of high-grade phosphate rock from these islands the actual quantity brought into New Zealand during the financial year being 51,430 tons, says the DirectorGeneral of Agriculture, in his annual report. The accounts of the Commissions controlling the business are made up for a different period, their trading year ending on June 30. For the ten months ending April 30, 4 923, the importations into New Zealand comprised 16.96 per cent of the total output, and thus our quota of 16 per cent, is already slightly exceeded. Consequent upon the falling freight market, contracts lor sea carriage were, up to June 30 last, made for six monthly periods only, and successive reductions in freight rates were secured, which, with a reduction made during the year in the f.o.b. price, enabled the selling price of the raw material in the Dominion to be correspondingly reduced from ,time to time. Those reductions, however, could not be immediately reflected in the prices of the manufactured fertilisers, consequent upon the overcarrying of stocks of raw material bought at the previous higher rate. Material reductions in selling prices to farmers came about in due course, and the prices now charged compare satisfactorily with those ruling in Australia, when the relative conditions applying to the two countries are considered. New Period of Control. The Government's commercial agents handled their business well, and their intimate knowledge of every phase of it has proved of great value in enabling all details to be carried out satisfactorily. The shipping contractors have also tendered good service at reasonable rates. All administrative charges of the Department have been met out of the business, and the margin which necessarily had to be allowed for unforseen contingencies proved not to be needed, a small profit to that extent resulting. "The New Zealand representative on the British Phosphate Commission, Mr. A. F. Ellis, has done excellent work throughout, and I must express my sincere appreciation of the keen interest he has shown and the complete manner in which he has co-op-erated jwith the Department," says Dr. Rcakes.

"The business having now been well established with the Dominion absorbing its fall quota, arrangements have been made for its conduct to be placed in the hands of the Commissioners as from June 30. The arrangement between the Government and the commercial agents terminates at the same time, the agents thenceforward acting for the Commissioners only. Continued success can be confidently anticipated."