Export Target Reached In Ocean Is. And Nauru

BPC’s Achievement in Rehabilitation of Phosphate Industry

JN a recent issue of the New Zealand Department of Agriculture’s Journal, the rehabilitation of the phosphate industry on Nauru and Ocean Island is discussed by Sir Albert Ellis. Sir Albert is New Zealand’s representative on the British Phosphate Commission, and he draws attention to the fact that in the last six months of 1949, shipments of phosphate from the two islands were equal to the best results in pre war years: — SOMEONE has said about phosphate that it is one of those things whose value is not realised until the supply ceases.

Since the acquisition of the Nauru and Ocean Island phosphate industry in 1920, when the organisation known as the British Phosphate Commissioners was set up, the requirements of high-grade phos phate for New Zealand were met almost entirely from those two islands. With ever-increasing agricultural and pastoral production in New Zealand and Aus tralia the demand for phosphate rose proportionately, as it must continue to do in the years that lie ahead, but by developing the resources of Nauru and Ocean Island all requirements were met, and by 1939 the annual output had risen to 1J million tons.

In the Second World War Hitler be came aware of the vital importance of

these supplies and in the latter part of 1940 two German raiders arrived in the Pacific. Part of their programme was to put the phosphate industry out of action.

Five of the Commission’s vessels were sunk. Nauru was bombarded for two hours, and enormous damage was done, mainly to the shipping plant. The can tilever came in for most attention, but though it was hit repeatedly by shell fire and was doubtless considered wrecked by the raider commander, the main structure still stood upright.

Repairs were put in hand immediately, but by the time one of the arms was ready to resume loading the Japanese came into the war and we knew the po sition was hopeless, for they too were fully aware of the value of the phosphate de posits. Their bombers attacked bo'th islands the day after Pearl Harbour and repeatedly afterwards, doing much dam age. Defence was impossible and evacu ation became necessary.

SHORTLY after, the enemy occupied the islands in strong force, remain ing there for 3 years, during which time the places were fortified very thoroughly. An air base was constructed at Nauru, long naval guns were installed, and round the coast was a series of tank traps, machine-gun posts, and under -

ground shelters. Both islands Seemed practically impregnable.

Meanwhile, strong American forces had become established at Tarawa after the great battle there. Fleets of bombers were soon over Nauru, the air base was put out of action, and further damage was done not only to the enemy equip ment but also to our phosphate plant.

This was revealed by aerial reconnais sance photographs. On one occasion a squadron of capital ships made an early morning call off Nauru and opened fire with 16 in. guns, adding to the devasta tion. They left as a memento an unex ploded shell near the main road, and it is still one of “the sights.”

With the cutting off of phosphate sup plies from the two central Pacific islands cne position soon became serious in New Zealand and Australia. In close touch with the Department of Agriculture in each country, the British Phosphate Commission was given a free hand in ob taining phosphate supplies wherever pos sible. Makatea, a French island in the eastern Pacific, was of great value in this connection. A rigid rationing sys tem was set up and naturally farming interests suffered considerably through shortage of fertilisers.

AFTER the war ended, an Australian Expeditionary Force went to both islands and the surrender of the Japanese forces there was accepted. As a representative of the New Zealand Government, the writer had the privilege of being present on these important oc casions. Simultaneously, a party of the British Phosphate Commission’s mana gers and engineers landed to report to headquarters on the damage and make preoarations for the restoration of the industry. A tragic story of war crimes and atrocities on both islands was re vealed; the natives and a limited num ber of Europeans, all of whom were dead when the surrender took place, suffered dreadfully at the hands of the enemy.

Considering their size it is doubtful if any islands in the Pacific had such a bad time as these two small isolated places.

Inspection showed that Nauru was wrecked; “it was a shambles,” to use the term of the expeditionary officers; our settlement was a tragic scene of deso lation and war damage and would re quire rebuilding entirely. The same per tained to the administration and mission stations. This destruction was not un expected and preparations had been made for the work of restoration, as far as the phosphate industry was concerned, by accumulating at Melbourne an enor mous quantity of material such as pre fabricated houses and work-shops, diesel engines, machinery, motor trucks, powered lighters, mooring material, pro visions, etc.

The Commission’s sole remaining ves sel after the attentions of the German raiders, the Trienza, was loaded up and with an enthusiastic crowd of our island staff, mostly old hands, set out for Nauru and Ocean Island.

There was considerable hardship at first, for the Japanese had left the islands in a disgusting and insanitary state, particularly at Nauru. Simultane ously with these activities a large force of Gilbertese and Ellice Island natives was recruited, many of them being old hands and glad to re-enter our employ. Not long afterwards a Chinese labour force from Hong Kong arrived, many of them being mechanics who, under the super vision of our experienced staff, proved most useful.

PLANS had been prepared beforehand for the reconstruction work and it was found possible to make the; whole lavout of the settlement, the labourers’ quarters hospitals, workshops, stores, etc., on much more convenient and

suitable lines than was the case pre viously. Buildings went up and it was not long before living conditions on both islands had greatly improved.

Meanwhile preparations for the re sumption of phosphate shipping opera tions were pushed ahead. Witjh the cantilever so badly damaged and. the Ocean Island jetties destroyed, it was necessarv to make improvised arrange ments, using the old jetty at Nauru and the boat harbour at Ocean Island for shipping by means of lighters. Long con veyors were installed connecting ftie phosphate bins with these points of ship ment. The elaborate pre-war system of deep-sea moorings at both islands had been completely destroyed. To re-lay these a vessel with a special, massive mooring winch and other appliances was required. The German raiders had sunk both of the Commission’s vessels which were thus fitted, but we were able to get one built during the war and she did the work of re-laying in good style. It was thus possible to resume phosphate shipoing 7 months after the reoccupation of the islands, though necessarily at a much slower rate than in pre-war years.

Early attention had been given to the phosphate quarrying, transport, artificial drying and storage plant, all of which was badly damaged. The tram lines had all been ripped up by the enemy, the sleepers being used for firewood and the rails cut into short lengths for building their machine-o-un posts, pill boxes, dug outs, etc. rails were placed upright in lines on the reef as barriers to land ing craft. Worst of all. our elaborate cablewav towers built of latticed steel were tonnled over and cut into suitable lengths for constructing underground shelters and so forth. Costly conveyor belting was cut into short lengths and

used as floor covering for the enemy’s de fences. Our engineers devised ways of using much of the damaged steel work, for such material was scarce and diffl-

S we,S o?' cabled tower? torn

rails, etc., was done, necessitating much extra work. The position led to the use of mechanised plant for quarrying and transnort of phosphate, much more than

in pre- war days, and this at least had proved an advantage, Mechanical shovel loaders of various types, also grabs, were obtained and are

fJtlecS Khate^oS

fry where the lime-stone ninnacles are not to ° numerous. Elsewhe e the hand

(Continued on Page 63.)

labour methods of pre-war days are necessary.

The artificial drving plant had suf fered very badly, but fortunately the enormous steel dryer cylinders were in tact and are now in use; the electric dust-precipitating plant was damaged beyond repair. For some months it was necessary to dispense with drying the phosphate and to ship it wet.

In the powerhouse several of the dam aged diesel engines have been repaired and the new machines installed, plac ing this vital portion of the plant in a strong position.

Great improvements have been made in the workshops and stores buildings Whereas in pre-war days they were more or less scattered about the settlement, they are now contained in two large pre fabricated steel framework buildings, suitabh 7 placed and most convenient for their various purposes, thereby effecting a great saving of labour.

THROUGHOUT the tragic war experi ences the Nauru cantilever seems to have had a charmed life, for, though greatly damaged, the vital parts escaped, and so the main structure re mained standing. Repairing it has been a long and costly job, but here again our engineers found that they could “go one better.” Whereas the original speci fications called for a shipping rate of 550 tons per hour, it was found that the structure permitted of speeding up the rubber belt conveyors and increasing their size. The main belt is now 4 ft. wide and phosphate is delivered direct into the holds of vessels at the rate of 1,600 tons per hour, nearly three times the original rate. This improvement is

of the greatest importance, and quite frequently a large 10,000 ton vessel ar rives at Nauru in the morning, hauls under the cantilever, and is away in the evening fully loaded.

At Ocean Island the damage was not nearly so serious, but the plant and general arrangements were not on such an extensive scale in pre-war years as on Nauru.

And so the work of rehabilitation has gone on, all departments under experi enced heads pulling their weight and working together toward the one end.

There is still much to be done in the way of construction work and improve ments on existing procedure, but when finished Nauru and Ocean Island will be more efficient and labour-saving than was the case in pre-war days. Labour has been a serious problem at times, as

elsewhere, but all has gone well for many months and we hope for the best.

WHAT of the phosphate shipments?

Our forecast early in 1946 was to restore the full output capacity in about 4 years from the time of recom mencement of shipments. This has been achieved for during 1949 the shipment figures were:—

Mrs. W. O. Garnett was in Sydney in May staying with her parents, but has since returned home to Fiji.

Ocean Nauru Island Totals Tons Tons Tons January-June . 290,250 127,750 418,000 July-December 499,150 133,150 632,300 Totals .. .. 789,400 260,900 1,050,300 It will be seen that during the latter 6 months the figures were up to our best results in pre-war years.

Colonel G. V. Vanderbroucke, com mander of the French forces in the Pacific and military attache to Australia, has been paying a month’s official visit to the eastern states, accompanied by his American-born wife. The Vandenbrouckes are stationed in Noumea. • * * Mrs. F. Tattle, of Norfolk Island, was holidaying in Sydney in June.

The first four months of 1950 provided Suva with 62.23 in. of rain. There is nothing sensational about that—for Suva.

But in the early hours of May 7 the tem perature slumped to 69.9 deg. and dur ing the day the maximum was only 77.5 dee. This early arrival of the rigours of winter produced a semi-epidemic of colds and influenza. Shops, offices and Government departments were wailing about short-staffing.