PHOSPHATE.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 October 1925, Page 4

PHOSPHATE.

(.M'KSTIOX Of* MUCKS. •WELLINGTON. Sept tilt. A lenghly review of prices of various (jtinlit i"s e! pliosplialie manures sold in Now Zealand since the eommeneenieiit of the .Nauru island agreement has been made by 1 lie Minister of Agrirult me. the Hon. W. No-worthy. |fe p.iinis net that prices luu" gradually declined, tile present cast of raw phosphine being £2 I-; oil per. ton for Nauru and £'_’ 7s 7<l fur Ocean Island. New Zealand has taken largely in-(•ren-ed (pianlities, last year's total !*■- in;.'; 9.-.791 lons, or 0:1 per ( cut. of the output. tiling!; under the joint ax i eel,lent its proportion is It; per l ent . Di-eu-situi't are going oil rega rilill the proparl ions for the next theyear period. The selling price of 3(>-3S phospliaie in Auckland district lias deeliued from £A Ns Pd per ton. and or.mild phosphate from £9 7s Pd per ion in 1921 to £7 2s fid for hath productions in April. 1927. South 1-laiul superphosphate is .-old at a uniform price delivered at any railway station. otherwise the price to fanners distant from the works would he almost prohibitive. Present prices are: t-M'.perphu-phnlc £0 Ills. ground pho—phati' £7 Whether present prices ex laclory can -till he reduced i- a matter on which the Minister lias called for fur- i tlier inquiry hy hi- otiieers. Au-ir- j lian puotations, he says, show that 1 Now Zealand prices do not compare ! hadly. j A matter which had been brought , into groat prominence. adds the Min- I i-ter. is the system of commissions ami I discounts allowed to distributors connceled with, the fertiliser business. , The result of inquiries made hy the j Government indicates high rates el ; eommi ion in some ea-"s. Hie distn- j hutors" margin i- not iinitorm. am! : one ian.se of variation is the extent of ; credit given. "It is quite recognise I." , he adds, "that the present system is j one which has la?en in existence tor j many years, and lias come to lie looked i on i)v the intermediary ooerator as 1 being" a reasonable and proper feature , of his business. At tire same time. ; the f.'U't cannot he ignored that the trade in fertilisers in New Zealand ; has undergone very marked i lump’s ttr.fi...' the last few V 'am : . a r-nlt of the Dominion's acquisition id a share tn Nauru and Ocean Islands. : Therefore it. is hath warrantable ami j liecessav to call attention to this pries- : tion of commissions allowed agents, and I have taken steps to have further inquiries llinde into it.” j