Talk:British Phosphate Commission

EDIT SUMMARY :

The below ( major ) edits, 30 Nov. 2017, are provided by me 'as is' : I remove some unnecessary details & personal references ; I include several new paragraphs - my intention is to clarify and better recount, what I heard before 2008, and learnt since 2015, about some functions and operation, of the Commissioners' work ( from my perspective as a descendant of the longest serving    General Manager,  although my knowledge is only '3rd hand' ) ; I include reference to a book by A. Pope, which I have not seen. Hoping this 'helps'.

KG thinker 07:47, 17 January 2015 (UTC)

Hello to all interested in recollections about the B. P. C.

My name is Harold Keith Gaze, I am the eldest grandson of the late Mr. Alfred Harold Gaze, C.B.E., former General Manager, B.P.C.  My (late) Grandfather Alfred Harold GAZE, held a number of   senior positions in B.P.C., from about 1922.

His father, my late Great-Grandfather Mr A. H. Gaze had retired in 1917 at age 65, from earlier work in an exploration Company set up about 1900 by the British Government, and based in Sydney initially, later Melbourne.

The earlier 'exploratory' Office had been set up by the British Government, in Sydney, about 1900, when it became known after German mining exploration in the late 1800's, had shown deposits of 'guano' on Christmas Island, and later discoveries on Ocean Island, Nauru, and other smaller islets ;

it was not determined for many years that the sample of rock taken as a 'souvenir' in the early 1900's was in fact, of almost pure rock phosphate.

The position of Manager of that Pacific Phosphate ( British ) Company was held by my late Great-Grandfather Mr A. H. Gaze ; - it was not then known then either how to mine guano, nor how any such operation might proceed : this was determined later - the then Australian Government was consulted and was not prepared to permit the then British Government to retain sole control of ( later successful ) mining operations ;

Mr. Alfred Henry Gaze had emigrated initially alone, in 1900, to    take up work for this earlier Company, and then to report on, and liaise regarding, and then manage, further Pacific Islands explorations on behalf of the then British Government. Earlier explorations had been tentatively conducted by representatives of the then German Government in the late 1800's, without formation of any formal mining operations. Apparently Mr A. H. Gaze had led early talks about a 'tri-Government' management body, and formation of a Head Office in Melbourne, and that this led, much later, to the to the formation of the British Phosphate Commissioners.

Some of the above details were passed on by family 'oral tradition', but I am not privy in person to any of these details. [ My late uncle, Mr A. E. Gaze, d. 2008, had been the last G. M.     and had, at the end of his then career, led the 'windup' of the B. P. C. as well as representing the B. P. C. in numerous discussions through out the 1960's,     1970's, etc., largely but not solely perhaps, I understand, due to the minable phosphate resource on Nauru having been exhausted ]. ( Note - it would be helpful for an elder Nauruan           to add to this with knowledge, directly from NAURU )

I understand that the Nauruan Governments of those times ( 1922 + ). were recompensed financially and in other ways ( initially not generously, but far more generously years later on ), resulting in their improvement in living standards : sadly the loss of  regular revenue from mining operations (the major industry), later has resulted in these living standards declining markedly.

I know also some details from speaking with my ( recently deceased ) father George Clifford Gaze (b. 1924), although he had never been invited to visit NAURU himself.

Correction to main WIKIPEDIA Title description : 1. I wish to note that, as I understand it, the term 'Commission' is NOT strictly correct - there were three Commissioners who met at least annually - one from N.Z., one from the U.K., and one from Australia ; but technically never a 'Commission' as the term usually means, and the arrangement was enacted, I understand, by written 'memoranda of understandings' between each then Government concerned and such other instruments of regulation and negotiation, as necessary : I do not think the B. P. C. was enacted by specific Laws as such ( but I do not know ) ;

2. Each ( of the three ) Commissioners, were officially appointed by each sovereign Government of New Zealand, Australia, and Britain ;

3. The whole arrangement was, at times, resisted by some Nauruan citizens, however, such due respect as was then possible, was given, and the mining operations eventually ( 1920's on ) took on a full commercial nature ; 4. The Commissioners' chief mandate and stated objective on Appointment, was to set up operate and maintain, mining of 'guano' to ensure a       regular supply of much needed ( especially for Australia's poor soils ), phosphate-rich mineral rock ( later processed on Nauru before shipment ) ; This rock was then converted into phosphate rich powder suitable for conversion into 'Super Phosphate' fertilizer - for use by farmers in                Australia, Britain, and New Zealand. This was a highly successful operation for very many years ( until the 1990's - ? ).

My Grandfather took his then young family to Britain by ship in 1933, to receive a British Honour ( C. B. E., awarded 6th June 1933 ) for his services to the industry ; my late grandfather reported to, negotiated with, and met regularly, each Commissioner, and some joint sittings were conducted in Melbourne, and other places ( including Nauru - ? ) ; the Commissioners employed my late grandfather, and certain others.

CONCLUSION of B. P. C. : Official operations of the British Phosphate Commissioners, and mining operations under their management ceased in 1985 ; my Uncle Fred ( d. August 2008 ) then retired : he had been directed to and did, wind up permanently the entire then 'commercial' mining operations of the then British Phosphate Commissioners, 1985. The then three Commissioners later then ceased their Appointments by the then respective Governments of U.K., Australia and New Zealand.

References : I have removed my initial list of reference books ; -  these are now ( 30 Nov. 2017 ) well documented since this page was updated by many others, and it is no longer useful for me        to retain that list in my 'talk' page here ; -  there is, on the searchable Internet, reference to a book written ( 1919 ? ) by Mr. Hope, a former Australian Commissioner ; I have no other knowledge of that book.

"STILL to be re-edited" - World War II :  some notes from our family recollections :

Conditions during the second World War, became extremely risky for all inhabitants of Nauru and Ocean Island ( mainly from the advance  of the then Japanese Army but also Germans ); Apparently my grandfather had acted beyond the 'call of duty' in   sending more than one island evacuation ship to sail inhabitants to safety before the expected Japanese action as it seemed highly likely that the then Japanese Army would attack and wreck the entire operation, in order to subvert the supply of fertiliser resources to the three B.P.C. Countries. This they indeed did do.

( The repeated bombing much of Nauru, especially the sophisticated        rock preparation equipment and lengthy cantilever civil     constructions, and living quarters and all Offices inflicted      terrible damage, physical, and emotional : the entire mining      operation was ruined and not finally re-built into full working      order until about 1949 following Armistice and PEACE ending WW II ).

Some Westerners and many Nauru citizens chose not to evacuate on these rescue ships sent by the Commissioners ( almost ALL  arranged by the General Manager & staff ), and many of those who remained were killed ; some were lucky and escaped to hidden parts of the Island : I had been told that ALL 'Westerners' who had remained, were either summarily shot, or had their throats cut : no prisoners were taken, and the then Allied and American armed forces were beyond capacity to fully defend the island, ( although some attempts were made during the War ). It then became necessary for my ( late ) Grandfather in his capacity as General Manager, to rebuild from scratch, the entire mining operation : and he visited Nauru and had lived periodically, over many years.

Inquiries : We are mainly 'private' people : I am submitting these details as my own voluntary contribution to ensure this important history of four Countries ( not including Germany, under whose protection  Nauru was during the late 1800's ), is not forgotten.

It will now be difficult for me to assist with inquiries ; the book by Sir A. F. Ellis, IS retained ( sole copy ), in our descendant family, and is available 2nd hand 'somewhere' on the Internet and in the National Library of Australia and also the 'Royal Collection' of Britain; Regards Harold Keith Gaze ( B. E.,  Grad Cert. I. T. ). [ User:KGhistory|KGhistory]] (talk) 12:32, 15 February 2008 (UTC) Surrey Hills, Melbourne, Australia. Text previously present on the article --Kimdime69 (talk) 20:56, 16 February 2008 (UTC)

Further NOTE by H. K. GAZE, 15 December 2010 pertaining to my contribution of 15 February 2008 : -  the detail provided by many subsequent contributors confirms the Australian Government's willingness to try to ensure adequate pecuniary compensation for the mining of NAURU - was the importation of     tillable soil as other compensation also canvassed, I wonder ?

My uncle, Alfred Edwards GAZE, is deceased, August 2008. Consequently, I am no longer able to speak with him and find out any further details from him first hand.

06:49, 1KG thinker 00:42, 30 November 2017 (UTC)8 January 2015 (UTC)KG thinker2. The WIKIPEDIA entry for the B. P. C. has been extensively edited, and I have not been contacted by e-mail.

I must advise that as I now far less able to make inquiries myself, and confirm that I now WITHDRAW my earlier offer to be personally contacted by e-mail regarding matters to do with the operations of B. P. C.

Regards Harold Keith GAZE,  Melbourne,  Victoria. KG thinker 02:56, 15 December 2010 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by KGhistory (talk • contribs) KG thinker 01:25, 30 November 2017 (UTC)