What is Happening at the Lae Brewery

Brewer Meier Is

Builder And Concreter

IN vacant, scrub-covered country, on the south side of the Lae airfield, in a large clearing, I found two sun-burned Europeans, wearing only shorts, directing a ?ang of natives in concrete opera tions. Behind them, extending over a, wide area, were the pillars of a Large, new building.

The men were Mr. R. Meier, the

killed technician who contributed o much to the establishment of he South Pacific Brewery in Port Moresby, and to making its beer amous, and Mr. J. R. Nydom, his ssociate in this new enterprise.

The new enterprise is a brewery >eing built by Guinea Breweries jimited.

For some reason, Mr. Meier and

South Pacific Brewery parted com pany several months ago; and he then decided to explore the pos sibilities of operating another brewery, in New Guinea. Those who joined him and his wife in form ing Guinea Breweries Ltd. are Mr. and Mrs. Nydom, Mr. R. F. Bunting, Mrs. F. S. Stewart, and Mr. Lee Ashton.

They expect to have the brewery completed by the end of this year.

They are confident that they will introduce their product to New Guinea’s huge beer market by about next Easter.

Messrs. Meier and Nydom planned no expensive operation. Having cleared the land, they erected along one side of it a long, single-story building, with light, water and sewerage, which they have divided into ten rooms. Presently these will become store-rooms and offices; but to-day they provide two comfortable residences for the Meier and Nydom families.

Then they set to work on the main building; and the photograph shows the progress that had been made up to the end of July. Messrs.

Meier and Nydom, burnt to the colour of mahogany, but in mag nificent health, are demonstrating how capital costs can be kept down in the establishment of a brewery.

Mr. Meier is a Hungarian; but early in life he went to live in Switzerland, and there he met and married Mrs. Meier, a charming Swiss. They came to Port Moresby in July, 1951; and Mr. Meier intro duced the South Pacific brew to the sceptical Port Moresby beer-drinkers in October, 1952. Mr. and Mrs.

Nydom are a young Dutch couple who have adopted New Guinea as

their home.-

Rwr.

The top photograph shows the concrete [?]illars of the new Lae brewery, now in [?]ourse of construction; and the lower picture [?]s a snapshot of the two directors and part ners—Messrs. R. Meier (right) and J. R. Nydom. [?]or the present, they are navvies and con reters, so that the work may advance more apidly. Three minutes before this picture was aken, Brewer Meier had fallen off a platform -but insisted that he was unhurt. "Me, I all and I bounce," said he.