PHOSPHATE COMING

Chronicle (Levin), 3 August 1946, Page 8

PHOSPHATE COMING

-Press Associcition

By Telegrayh—

AUCKLAND, Aug. 2. An announcenient tliat the export ot phosphate from Nauru and Ocean lslands is being resumed for the iirst tinje since early in the war, was made in Auckland by Sir Albert Ellis, New Zealand representative 011 the British Phosphate Oonimission. Two ships are at the lslands to load for Australia ancl a third is expected, while a steamer will shortly leave Auckland for Nauru to load t"he first cargo for this port. Sir Albert explained the chief. importance of resumption of work at the lslands was the fact that less low grade phosphate would be iniported from other sources. A large quantity 0! phosphate was expected from a nuniber of ports during the year and the position was definitelv improving. Before the war the two lslands yielded about i, 250, 000 tons of phosphate annually. Export was first seriouslv interrupted in Decemher, 1910, when G-erman raiders sank iive British ships in the vicinity and caused damage to the works and plant. Imniediately after Pearl Ilarbour, the Japanese began to bonib Nauru and occupied both isla'nds in August, 1942. Their loss had serious - effects on agriculture, particularJy in New Zealand and Australia, as the phosphate is of the highesl grade. The closeness of the islands to both Douiin ions also had the great advantage of the economical use of ships and lower freight rates. Nauru Island was retaken from the Japanese by an Australian l'orce last September and Ocean Island, the last of the eentral Pacific islands to l)e regained, was taken earlv in Oetober. Repair work was begun almost imniediately.