NAURU PHOSPHATES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 208, 28 May 1920, Page 6

NAURU PHOSPHATES

PURCHASE ALMOST COMPLETE.

The Prime Minister was asked at tho conference of producers yesterday for any information ho could give about tho Nauru purchase, and especially for information as to when phosphates from tho island would bo available to New Zealand farmers.

Mr. Massey, in reply, said that the Nauru negotiations had advanced a stago Inasmuch as only a day or two ago liu had been notified that it would be nccesfinry for tho Government to find New Zealand's share of the purcliaso monoy on or about July 1. Ho reminded the conference that besides Nauru, the throe countries concerned—Britain, Australia, and New Zealand—were taking over Ocean Island, with the wholo of the business and interests of thte British Phosphates Company in these two islands. According to tho schedule, the company had six ships under charter, ihut he was not able to say definitely whether tho charters.of these ships would be taken oyer with the other business.' In any cits;., judging by present appearances, thfl business would come under tho control of the tbireo Governments about the date he had mentioned. Each Government Concerned would appoint n commissioner. He had his first commissioner ready, and iJthouirh this gentleman would only look aTTer flio initial work and Now Zealand's Interests for about two or three months,, ho had another senllemin ready to take his place when the time came. It would be necessary for-the throe commissioners to visit the islands, but he did not expect they would take un their residence ot either of the islands. 'They would probably operate from Auckland or Sydney. Neither did he think it would bs necessary for them to give tho whole nf their time to our interests. This, of course, remained to be seen. It would be tta duty of the Government to see that the phosphates were supplied to the producers at the lowest possible rates, and' though the Government had not direct control of tho plants now ?n existence or being erected for dealimr with tho rock, it would still be the dity of the Government to contin.io the control in order to onsuro that everything possiblewas done to encourage production.