NAURU PHOSPHATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 April 1921, Page 7

NAURU PHOSPHATES.

COST TO THE CONSUMER. That a false impression has been conveyed by the Premier in his references to the value of the crude Nauru phosphate is the opinion held/by the manger of the New Zealand Fertiliser Company, Ltd., which has at its new works, Te Papapa, dealt with the first shipment to arrive in the Dominion since the Government assumed control. Mr. Massey stated at the recent short sessiqp that the rock would be landed in New Zealand at a cost of £4 5s a ton c.i.f., that crushing would entail a further charge of 12s fid per ton, and that if an additional 10s a ton was added,- an idea would be given as to the cost to. the farmer of the ground rock. The first shipment of 5000 tons brought by the Waikouaiti has been taken to the works at Te Papapa, where it is considered of little value as a fertiliser, unless scientifically treated and converted to superphosphates. It is in this form that most puchasers desire it, and the treatment is a fairly expensive one. Only 2$ per cent, of the ground rock is soluble, but when it is treated it is all available, an official of the company told a Star reporter. An examination of the price list of the company shows that the Nauru product is sold as a superphosphate at from £8 10s to £9 10s a ton, and in the ground form at considerably more than was estimated by the Premier. That estimate, it is said, did not take into consideration the cost of bagging, railage, wharfage, stevedoring charges, ana other incidental expenses.