NAURU PHOSPHATES

Hokitika Guardian, 13 October 1927, Page 4

NAURU PHOSPHATES

BETTER FACILITIES FOR LOADING. AUCKLAND, Oct. 11. After a conference with the Australian Commissioners of the British (Phosphate Commission, operating in Nauru and Ocean Islands, Air Albert F. Ellis, the New Zealand Commissioner, returned to Auckland by the Mara in a from Sydney. Hr Ellis said ■ satisfactory progress was being made generally, and, provided weather conditions were good, they hoped to equal last year’s record output of 600,000 tons.

“The demand for phosphate is increasing all the time,” and our output can never be enough.” said Mr Ellis. “Everything is going well according to our latest advice. A start has been made in erecting the cantilever loading plant at Nauru, and this should be completed in about two years’ time. A start lias also been made with the new wharf at Ocean Island, and when all this work is completed the output should lie considerably increased. These facilities are badly needed. “The loading cantilever at Nauru

Island and the steel jetty at Ocean ; Island will cost about £250,000, which : will be financed by the Commission, j The cantilever wilf project about 180 j feet beyond the edge of the reef, and i will provide for the discharge of | phosphate direct into the fore and 1 aft holds of vessels simultaneously. The phosphate will be transferred from the 12,000 tons’ shore storage bin to the discharging points of the cantilever by rubber belt conveyers, with a total capacity of 600 tons an hour, thus enabling a 6000 ton vessel to be loaded in a day. It is anticipated that on the completion of the cantilever, installation the output will bo increased to between 700,000 v tons and 770,000 tons annually.”