EVEN ICE SUPPLIED!

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 955, 24 April 1930, Page 12

EVEN ICE SUPPLIED!

MODERN CONDITIONS ON NAURU ISLAND NEW CANTILEVER LOADER Progress with work oil the cantilever loading apparatus at Nauru Island is reported by Mr. A. J. McGuinuess, who arrived in Auckland on the steamer Lady Lewis yesterday afternoon. Mr. McGuinness intends to spend a few weeks’ leave in New Zealand, and is accompanied by his wife. He is an Australian, and has lived at Nauru Island for six years, having charge of the phosphate company’s engineering departments. “The cantilever is a gigant io undertaking.’’ he says. "There will be a distance of half a mile from the shore to the point of delivery into the ship’s hold. The phosphates will be carried this distance in a travelling hand. This method should allow loading to proceed at the rate of S,OOO tons a day.” The Lady Lewis took five days to load the 7,500 tons which she brought to Auckland. Henry Simons, Limited, of Manchester. is constructing the huge cantilever, which should be completed by the end of this year. Mrs. McGuinness, who is glad to be in Auckland, did not like leaving Nauru. “Everything is so up-to-date there,” she said. “We have electric light and power, very modern bungalows, tennis —even ice is supplied. About the only things we miss there is the shopping. I am looking forward to spending a week here for that reason. It will be so different from our ‘catalogue’ shopping at the island. There are now about 120 white people there, so we don’t feel away from civilisation. You would be surprised to see how delightful life is there.” The Lady Lewis left Nauru Island on April 11 and had a fine-weather passage except for an easterly wind on Tuesday night. The cargo is for discharge at Auckland and Southern ports.