WEALTH IN THE DEAD SEA

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 616, 19 March 1929, Page 9

WEALTH IN THE DEAD SEA

POTASH CONCESSIONS DEFINITE OFFER SOON British Official Wireless Reed. 11 a.m. RUGBY, Monday. Mr. W T . G. Ormsby-Gore, announced in the House of Commons that the Colonial Office had received a reply from the Transjordanian Government, respecting the question of Dead Sea potash concessions. Both it and the Palestinian Government had now authorised the conclusion of the draft agreement, and the Colonial Office hoped to be in a position to make a definite offer to the prospective concessionaires at an early date. If it were accepted, and other matters were satisfactorily arranged, the concession would be duly sanctioned. Mr. Ormsby-Gore added that the concession had been offered provisionally to Major Tulloch and Mr. Novomesky in equal shares. He had no reason to doubt that these two gentlemen could raise the necessary capital. He was asked whether the final agreement now being considered by the Palestinian Government contained provisions to ensure permanent British control and the avoidance of a monopoly of control by any group or organisation interested in the production or sale of potash. Mr. Ormsby-Gore replied that in view of the terms of the mandate, it was not thought practicable to add provisions for British control. Any concession that was granted, however, would provide that the operating company should not, without the previous written consent of the Palestinian and Transjordanian Governments, enter into any arrangement for restriction of output, or for the raising or keeping up of prices in such a manner as to restrict the output.