PHOSPHATE SUPPLIES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 32, 2 November 1920, Page 8

PHOSPHATE SUPPLIES

MORE CRUSHING PLANT NEEDED. J?r. J. R. Hamilton (Awarua) yesterday asked the Minister of Agriculture if the Government would give, farmers in the South Island who were 'desirous of erecting phosphate-crushing plants an Assurance that they would bo able to get a supply from Nauru. He understood that a shipment that was going tothe North Island would not bo wanted there till March.

Tho Hon. "tV. Nosworthy said he would niako inquiries so ns to be able to say what supplies would be available. When the plants were erected there would be tin allocation of the supplies that would arrive.

Mr. A. Hamilton (Wallace) aelced if the Government would give a written agreement that phosphate rock would be supplied in the event of tho» interested erecting crushing plants. Farmers who were likely to erect co-operative crushing plants would like to know if they" would lie assured of continuous supplies. Mr. Nosworthy said that ns fast as the Government could make the necessary shipping arrangements the phosphates would be shipped, and they would be allocated to tho different crushing plants throughout the Dominion. The Government had ••no intention of crushing at Nnnru. Tho whole of the rock would be dealt with here. Those who erected a plant would'get a fair allocation J-ho conditions of shipping, however, were such that it would be impossible to g;ivo a guarantee. Everything was ..promising well, and in a short time there would be available supplies for the forthcoming twelve months. , , .. ~ Mr." R. Masters (Stratford) asked if the Government would be prepared to finance co-operative companies .if tliey agreed to erect crushing plant.' ' Mr. Massey said they would endeavour to do eo. The difficulty was undoubtedly point to be in regard to the crushing plant. -He was disappointed that so little crushing plant was already available. Tho big works' in Auckland would not be ready till 'March. "Wellington was worse off than any otlicw place, and it was quite on the cards that the Go\ernment would have to take tho matter in land, there. • ' . "ENEMY ALIENS" ■ ; SYRIANS PETITION PARLIAMENT. ■ X petition praying that by special exemption Syrians eliould no longer ■ be described as enemy aliens, was yesterday reported upon, by the committee of tho House to which it had been; referred. The -committee recommended that -the petition should receive favourable consideration from tho Government. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. r. M. Wilford) supported the recommendation of the committee. He stated for years the Syrians had been doing their best to throw off tho Turkish yoke. Syrians had fought for the British in the late war, and some of theip felt that they wero not. getting a very good return for their loyalty. . Naturalised Syrians in New Zealand ought to be permitted to share in the benefits of the pensions legislation, and the country should no longer treat them as enemy ■aliens but should receive them as good friends. One or two other members, supported the report of the committee, and the report Was adopted by the House. i MINING AMENDMENT BILL :. THE PARAf ARA IRONFIELDS. Sir William Frnser.last night moved in the Council tiie committal of the Mining Amendment Bill, which originated in the Lower House.

The clause providing that licenses in respect of wntor arc not to be renewed if the privilago is required by "tlio Crown, appeared to the Hon. H. L. Michel to discount considerably the value of existing rights. Sir William Frasor explained that water rights granted for mining purposes were being hold ,by. certain people on aosount of their value for irrigation purposes. When mining operations had ceased, the licensee should not he entitled to retain his rights ovot water that was no loncer useful for mining, but was perhaps useful for irrigation or for the development of electric power. There was provision for compensation in tho clause.

Tho provision for •an increase from 400 aores to 1200 acres in the area of dredging claims was rendered advisablo, the Minister statod, b.V the fact tliot some of the dredges used now wore built at a' huge cost_ for deep work. A largo area of operations was needed to make them' pay. An extension of area in any particular caso would be granted only upon the .recommendation of the Warden and with the consent of tho jfinister. '

Several members expressod the opinion that the Government should exercise great caution when granting a right to work 1200 acres, which seemed a very large area indeed for ono" claim. Tho Minister moved the inclusion of a new clnuse giving th!o Government power to exkrod from lime to time, within a four years' limit, tho protection provided by section 31 of tho War Legislation Amendment Act, 1916, for tjife holders of Parapara ironfields leases. Sir William Fraser explained that tho clause would glvij the lessocs time: to negotiate with any big firm that might lie prepared to furnish the capital necessary for tho development of the fields. He thought that £1,500,000 or even .£2,000,000 would be inquired. It had come to the knowledge of the Government that certain people were prepared to <ind the capital, provided a satisfactory Arrangement could be mado with the Government. The making of an arrangement would require time. The British firm of Vickers, which had millions at its disposal, wert; making investigations, but tt would not be likely to go on in any case unless the titles wero rondered "secure. The development of the Parapara ores would be most advantageous to the country. Ho believed that if it was completely successful there trould be onough iron produced not only for this country, but for export also. The new clause was adopted. The Bill was read a third time and passed.

The Iron and Steel Industries Amend-ment-Bill, providing for an extension of the time within which the Government may pay bounties upon iron and steel produced in New Zealand, was last night put through all stages in the Council and passed without amendment. It had already been passed by the House.