Of Vigorous Growth

Nelson and Robertson Pty. Ltd.

Well-Known Islands Firm Celebrates 70th Year Of Vigorous Growth

By a Staff Writer

It is interesting to note how often there is one unknown name in the title of a big trading corporation that has become a household word. For example, the Bums of Bums Philp, and the Hedstrom of Morris Hedstrom are among today’s well known people; but the present generation knows neither Philp nor Morris.

SO it is, also, with the old Islands firm of Nelson & Robertson Pty.

Ltd.

The 50 guests who gathered at a lavish dinner in Sydney on February 18 to celebrate that firm’s 70th birth day joined happily in the toasts proposed by its chairman Norman Nelson; but—asked more than one appreciative diner, attacking the sixth course and drooling over an array of fine wines—where did the name Robertson come from?

Norman Nelson told them, in a speech in which he paid tribute to his father, Ivan Nelson, the founder of the Islands organisation.

Although it is a quarter-century since he died, many of the older

guests remembered Ivan Nelson—a big, powerful Swede who came into the South Pacific long before the turn of the century, along with other Scandinavians who made their mark there, and became prominent as an Islands pioneer, trader, shipowner and organiser.

Partnership

In 1895, he entered into partner ship with Mr. George Robertson, and they engaged vigorously in the South Seas’ expanding trade. They chartered ships, acted as agents for overseas owners, and eventually became ship owners themselves. At one time, they had 11 sailing ships running under the N. and R. flag.

Their activities assisted the growth of Australian trade in all the Islands, from New Guinea right through to Polynesia. They carried Islands pro duce to America, raw sugar from Fiji to Australia for the CSR Co., Austra lian coal to Fiji, Australian hardwood to New Zealand.

Soon after 1900, Ivan Nelson thrust into Western Samoa, formed an association there with another notable Swede, O. F. Nelson—and today N. and R. still are agents for O. F. Nelson and Co. Ltd., of Samoa.

Ivan Nelson urged Samoa to can pineapples and grow cocoa. The pineapple venture failed, but cocoa growing became one of Samoa’s staple industries.

Mr. Robertson retired in 1910, but the name was retained in the registered company; and the tireless Ivan directed his energies to German New Guinea, as a market for Aus tralian goods. N. and R. made profitable contacts with German

plantation owners and Chinese merchants—among them Mr. J. M.

Rondahl, owner of Kabaukaul, Kulon and Makurapau plantations, Mr.

J. O. Mouton, of Kiniguan, and the well-known firms of Alois Akun and Co., Ah Tam, and Achok.

Although two wars swept across New Guinea, bringing ruin and devastation to most planters and traders, including the Rabaul Hotel which N. and R. had acquired and made famous, many of the contacts made by New Guinea folk with “the friendly firm” survived.

German Stores After Australia occupied German New Guinea in 1914, N. and R. were one of the three firms ap pointed by the Australian Govern ment to handle buying for the German stores and plantations.

After World War I, Ivan Nelson went to Europe and got the agency for Aarhus Oilie Fabrik, then operating one of the biggest oilseed crushing mills; and soon he was chartering ships to carry urgently needed copra to Denmark.

The first ship, Vinstra, took a full cargo from Rabaul in 1921; and this traffic continued until the Expro.

Board took over copra marketing.

N. and R. grew and flourished. In 1926 it became the Australian buying agent for “Cappy” Fitch’s new Steamships Trading Co. and, despite all the changes since (in cluding STC’s absorption of Golyer

Mr. Norman Nelson

The late Mr. Ivan Nelson, co-founder of Nelson and Robertson Pty, Ltd.

Watson (NG) Ltd.), N. and R. still buy for STC in Australia.

When Ivan Nelson died in 1941, he was succeeed by son Norman, and the company’s expansion con tinued steadily. A Brisbane office was established in 1951, and in 1953 the company’s New Guinea and Australian interests were separated by the creation of the Rabaul Trading Co. Ltd., to take care of New Guinea business, and the latter company now has offices in Rabaul, Lae and Madang.

The Australian company now confines its activities to buying merchandise, handing shipping agencies—the main one being the John Burke Line, with which N. and R. have been associated for over 60 years; representing overseas manufacturers, such as Archimedes Swedish outboard motors and British Teleflex remote controls.

In the beginning, the staff com prised the founding partners and two clerks. Today, there are 67 on the Australian staff, and 15 Euro peans in the New Guinea offices.

Two senior members of the staff, Messrs. W. E. Ryall and H. R.

Cooper have been there respectively for 60 years and 50 years, and are both directors; but they still are known to Islands old-timers as “Bill” and “Harold”. They embody the spirit of “the friendly firm”.

Staff At Dinner All members of the staff were at the big dinner party, to act as hosts.

The guests gave a very cordial greet ing to the heir-apparent, Norman Nelson’s son, Ivan Nelson 11, now prominent in the organisation.

The guest-list included a large section of New Guinea’s “Befores”.

Here are some of the names: W.

Middleton (Karkar); Bernard Chan (Rabaul); B. Edgell and N.

Whiteley, once of Manus; Ted Fulton, once of Makurapau; M.

Lees, of Tokoa; R. McGregor, of Madang; A. Barnett; Jack Mullaly, of Natava; R. Paul and G. Gadden, of STC; J. Dunbar Reid, of Rabaul.

There also were present a corps of leading businessmen, including Mr. J, Burke, of the Burke Line, and Mr. Frank Vines and Mr. Frank Davies (of Klein wort Benson Ltd. of London) representing various big trading corporations with which N. and R. do friendly business.

Flanking him at the top table, Mr. Nelson had among his guests his lawyer, his banker, his auditor, the Swedish Consul, and other well wishers of that kind. It was a happy dinner and a memorable occasion.