NAURU.

Dozerdust, Volume 2, Issue 15, 8 April 1944, Page 6

NAURU.

Discovered - by Cd tain r©arn 1798. ■ ’ ' Annexed by Germany ,* in 18-88 and' • up to 1914 was ' part of German Mar-, shall Islands Prorectorate • .;■I « ■ . NAURU - an oval-shaped atoll, about 12 miles in circumference, .' having an area of about 8| square ; - . miles. ■', . ’ ’ /./''A' . ? ’ • 1 " • POPULATION-;in 1939 population was ‘ 3.460 .made up as follows • ' ■ Natives 1.733. ' Chinese l.jiS. Europeans 171 \ Ohters 44. ' • 1 . — ■■■ ■' ... ;7 z CLIMATE - Temperature ranges betwaen 72 and 95; average humidity tween ..'.7° and 80. Average’ rainfall 120 • • inches. ' « .7 7 HEALTH - Malaria not present« Pi la about only disease which is common* otherwise island one, of host he lathy : in Pacific. Two hospital Q arc-, maintained on Island.'

PHOSPHATE-' ! Lt is estimated that thy is fully 100,000,000 tons of phosph* phate.-on. the island « It is estim- ■ a ted that, uujjly will last for at lea another "hundreds years before worked out. • The annual demand for the phosphate is round JOO;000. r 7 : per year. N.Z. and Australia take practically whole output,- /

1914-.. AUSTRALIAN troops hold Xslhrid until after War when representatives of British , Australian and N.Z. ' ' Governments'met and.agreed to Jointly participate in Nauru deposits, and that Ocean Island deposits should fee incorporated in scheme.

•PRICE' .*• Th;- “price paid' by the throe;. Govts. ' was. £3 es'W>ooo in : proportions of 425, 42$ and 16%.

TERMS - of Agreement 1919 the allotment of the phosphate produced in a year As on the following basis and is for home . consumption only: - United. Kingdom 42> ? Australia ./■ 42% , New Zealand z 16% BUSINESS - is vested in a Board ,of Commissioner’s comprising of three- * members, one repesonting each ®ovt. ’ NAURUANS - are / of. the 'Micronesian Group;- they. arc of ; fine, physique, intelligent; and friendly.'Wrestling in which they indulge- spasmodically,/ is the favouiite sport. They are also expert- at matching ’.and, taming . man-o’-war hawks and sea fowls.

known as ,r hoodies, ”

THS- discovery of ; . phosphate on the 7 Island is an interesting -story of ..how .A. F. Silis followed .up .a belief .that, there was. .’phosphate .. . on the Island despite expert /advice to Mae contary, " . Ho was transferred 1 to an analytical .labor-, story from a Pacific Islands Coy.

in Queensland. Ho no tiefad a large block which was used- to keep open ’ < a door of one.'the offices

at the laboratory. He was told that • the block was a ump of tri- ’ fiod wooer been recognised at su ch by Geologists, ; Kot satisfied, he some months later, had a chip of the block tested .which' showed ft to bo phosphate of the highest quality. :::; THE next '?./■?- stop was to d terminer how to gain acces to ..the wealth, ,aS the island ' was then . held ■by , the Germania.

ROYALTY * on,every ton of phosphate exported a royalty .is paid to the Administrator which is distributed to the. natives, as owners of the land. In 1938,803 natives had savings bank accounts totally - , , ‘ £17.774. '

CHINESE - are engaged..under ; a three year, contract?■ ■; ' . .. '.. ";•;•/•

Owing, to,shorts of water -supply 1 a huge . dqndansing plant was installs

ALL power oxi the, Island is All lights on the Island being olchtiiico Thors is.. also ‘a7” refrigerating • plant which supplies ice to Camphay' Staff .and. Hospitals. Cattle and sheep are taken alive from-Austral rand sleughterd on- the Island#- ~: r / Phospha to. is conve/'tu drying /plant • by railway. /