NAURU PHOSPHATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 September 1922, Page 8

NAURU PHOSPHATES.

WHAT NEW ZEALAND MAY LOSE. EFFECT ON NEXT 5-YEAR AGREE- ' WENT. Mr. A. Leigh Hunt, managing director of the Dominion Farmers’ Institute, on Tuesday pointed out to a Times reporter the danger that the agricultural community in New Zealand ran in not; taking the Dominion’s full share of the phosphates from Nauru Island tp which New Zealand is entitled. The partnership arrangement between Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand provides that the two former shall each have 42 per cent, and New Zealand 16 per cent. During the last year, however, New Zealand has only taken 7.7 per cent., while Australia has taken 60 per cent., or 18 per cent, over and 'above her share. It is not that Australia has broken the arrangement, but has taken th© surplus not used by the other partners. “But the danger is this,” said Mr. Hunt, as he referred to a paper read by Mr. A. F. Ellis. New Zealand Commissioner of the British Phosphate Company. “Two years have gone, and we are only taking 7.7 per cent., less than half amount to which we are entitled. The land is absolutely hungry for phosphates, yet the next five years’ agreement will base the quantities on the amount that has been taken by each of the partners during the first five years.” A QUESTION OF FINANCE. Mr. Hunt proceeded that the land was greatly in need of phosphates as a fertiliser, but the financial depression had operated against the agricultural industry taking up anything like the quantity they could do with. It is a matter of serious import that New Zealand should take up its full share of the phosphates in the next three years, and if necessary the farmers should be financed to enable them to do so. He was convinced that agricultural produce could be doubled in very little time by the use of this valuable fertiliser. Nauru Island phosphates were 80 per cent, pure, and the highest grade in the world. BASIC SLAG DETERIORATING. Mr. Hunt further pointed out that basic slag, which has been largely used in the past, is not of such good quality as formerly, owing to the changing steel processes in use. Immense quantities of phosphates would be required to make up the shortage in basic slag.