Basil Edward Fairfax-RossCBE (4 April 1910 – 9 November 1984) was an Australian businessman who spent much of his career in the Territory of Papua and New Guinea. He served as a nominated member of the Legislative Council from 1951 to 1963.
After being demobilised in 1946 he married Jessie Agnes Dalton in Brisbane.[1] He became assistant general manager at the British New Guinea Development Company in the same year, and was elected president of the Papua Planters' Association in 1949, a post he held until 1971.[1] He became the company's general manager and a member of the Copra Marketing Board in 1951.[1] In the same year was appointed as one of the three nominated European members of the Legislative Council, remaining a member until 1963. In 1961 he was also appointed to the Administrator's Council, remaining in the cabinet until 1963.[3] In 1964 he was awarded a CBE.[2]
Fairfax-Ross subsequently served as a member of the Council of the University of Papua New Guinea from 1965 to 1971 and as chairman of the Papua New Guinea Copra Marketing Board between 1971 and 1973.[1] He was also a director of the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier. He retired from the British New Guinea Development Company in 1971 and moved to the Mosman area of Sydney, although remaining a director of Burns Philp and Bougainville Copper.[1] He died at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney in November 1984 at the age of 74, survived by his wife and two daughters.[2]
Referencesedit
^ abcdefghijFairfax-Ross, Basil Edward (1910–1984) Australian Dictionary of Biography
^ abcdePassing of a grand 'Territorian' Pacific Islands Monthly, January 1985, pp36–37
^P-NG's New "Cabinet" Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1961, p18
April 08, 2024
basil, fairfax, ross, basil, edward, fairfax, ross, april, 1910, november, 1984, australian, businessman, spent, much, career, territory, papua, guinea, served, nominated, member, legislative, council, from, 1951, 1963, nominated, member, legislative, councili. Basil Edward Fairfax Ross CBE 4 April 1910 9 November 1984 was an Australian businessman who spent much of his career in the Territory of Papua and New Guinea He served as a nominated member of the Legislative Council from 1951 to 1963 Basil Fairfax RossNominated Member of the Legislative CouncilIn office 1951 1963Personal detailsBorn4 April 1910Springwood AustraliaDied9 November 1984 1984 11 09 aged 74 Sydney AustraliaBiography editFairfax Ross was born in Springwood New South Wales in 1910 the son of Doris Riverstone nee McCulloch and Basil Fairfax Ross 1 He attended the King s School in Parramatta but was unable to afford to study law at university 1 Following a short spell as a jackaroo he moved to the Territory of Papua in 1931 to become a plantation assistant for Burns Philp 1 By World War II he had become an assistant inspector 2 He enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force in 1940 and served with the 2 12th Battalion in the Middle East from 1940 to 1942 2 He then returned to New Guinea to join the Allied Intelligence Bureau carrying out field intelligence work often behind enemy lines including serving as a coastwatcher at Oro Bay 1 During the war he was twice mentioned in dispatches and rose to become a major 2 He was subsequently awarded the American Medal of Freedom in 1948 1 After being demobilised in 1946 he married Jessie Agnes Dalton in Brisbane 1 He became assistant general manager at the British New Guinea Development Company in the same year and was elected president of the Papua Planters Association in 1949 a post he held until 1971 1 He became the company s general manager and a member of the Copra Marketing Board in 1951 1 In the same year was appointed as one of the three nominated European members of the Legislative Council remaining a member until 1963 In 1961 he was also appointed to the Administrator s Council remaining in the cabinet until 1963 3 In 1964 he was awarded a CBE 2 Fairfax Ross subsequently served as a member of the Council of the University of Papua New Guinea from 1965 to 1971 and as chairman of the Papua New Guinea Copra Marketing Board between 1971 and 1973 1 He was also a director of the Papua New Guinea Post Courier He retired from the British New Guinea Development Company in 1971 and moved to the Mosman area of Sydney although remaining a director of Burns Philp and Bougainville Copper 1 He died at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney in November 1984 at the age of 74 survived by his wife and two daughters 2 References edit a b c d e f g h i j Fairfax Ross Basil Edward 1910 1984 Australian Dictionary of Biography a b c d e Passing of a grand Territorian Pacific Islands Monthly January 1985 pp36 37 P NG s New Cabinet Pacific Islands Monthly April 1961 p18 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Basil Fairfax Ross amp oldid 1091131138, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
