NAURU ISLAND

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 14, 11 October 1919, Page 3

NAURU ISLAND

SOME FURTHER INFORMATION

BOARD OP AGRICULTURE'S REPORT The report of the Board of Agriculture on Nauru Island and other phosphate islands t of the Pacifio was placed before the House of Iteprcsentaives on Thursday. "The Board of Agriculture since its first meeting," says the report, "has been greatly impressed with the" necessity of flu assured and cheap supply of phosphates for Now Zealand, especially so »n the future, as the demana for phosphates all over the world is increasing to a very large extent. Every nation of the world is on tho outlook for a supply of the raw material. Tho British lilmpire is not well supplied, and therefore it is in the interest of the Dominion that a supply for future U6e should be secured. In order to ascertain whether it was possible to secure other supplies of phosphate t}io board requested you to ask Mr. Aston, agricultural chemist, to mako a report, which he did • after careful investigation in other countries. This confidential.report on the phosphate supplies from different parts ,of the world, which was sent to you in 1915, is a most valuable one." • The board describes Nauru Mand in some detail. Information obtained from avery 'valuable source by the board indicates that it might be reasonably assumed that anything from 80,000,000 to 100,000,000 tons aro available, and possibly more. The quality of the phosphate, is of the highest grade (85 to 80 per cent.), and it was stated in evidence that this island was the largest. known quantity of high grade phosphate in the world. The Pacifio Phospnate Company, as has been stated, have the milling rights for Ocean Island, and hold an interest in a French company which works the Makatea Island phosphate deposits. These two islands and Christmas Island may bo expected to be worked out within the present generation. Thp phosphate on Nauna Island has much less rock than the others mentioned, and it is therefore more easily mined. The shipping conditions, too, seem to be more favourable, although,the weather at times does interfere with loading operations. • It may safely be said, therefore, that Nauru Island is' the richest' awl best of the known phosphate islauds of the world. Attached to the report is the following statement provided "by Mr. B. C. Aston, agricultural chemist"The function of phosphates in agriculture is to supply this most important .constituent of the ash of plants and the.bodies of animals, the bones of which are mainly .composed of ...calcium phosphate.' Phosphates, as a, plant'food,- stimulate root action and. Hasten. the, maturing of the plant.- In shallow-rooted plants and those with a feeble root system, such' as turnips, phosphates greatly stimulate the young plant past the stage at which it 19 most attacked by its enemies. It would be (practically impossible after the first burn to grow a good turnip crop on an average. New Zealand soil without the use of phosphates. '"Phosphates have a most beneficial effect on all Movers and leguminous fodder plants, and thiw indirectly increase the store of nitrogenous organic matter in the soil. Tho improvement of poor pasture by/phosphates is. probably the most important part they pluy iii increasing the productiveness of New Zealand lands. The effects of phosphates in raising the quality and feeding value of the crop are very great. The most nutritious pastures in England and the best dairy pastures in France are those richest in phosphates, " and this holds good in New Zealand, , In the North Island there are large areas of country which, owing to the well-distributed rainfall, are well suited for dairying. On account of the deficiency of phosphates, however, this may not be practicable under the present system unless a good phosphates supply is assured. In fact, the North Island largely owes its prosperity and rapid development to the use of phosphates, the northern land'being generally.''deficient- in ' available phates.". An eScamplo of the successful use of phosphates producing good'dairying country out of poor country is 'that oi Matamatsa." portions of which, owing to the heavy phosphatic manuring, are now yielding as much milk as the best Taranaki land. "On. account pf the high cost of landling fertilisers in New Zealand it is desirablo that ,as high a grade of phospnate should .be used :as IpofeiWe;Thus a source yielding' an 85-pcr cent, phosphate should be more suitable than' that giving a 60-per cent, phosphate, and by using the high-gradti fertiliser tho cost of bagging, freight storage 1 , and handling is largely reduced. Finally the'fact that the' New .Zealand farmer finds it necessary to pay about half a million pounds sterling per annum .on phosphates. should be . sufficient indication of the importance, of phosphates to New Zealand agriculture under, the . present system of manuring."