Kempthorne Prosser
The company's full name was Kempthorne Prosser & Co.'s New Zealand Drug Co. Ltd, established in the South Island city of Dunedin.
KP's NZ Drug Company was the first in the country to combine sulphuric acid and bone dust to produce superphosphate.
From this stemmed a major chemical fertiliser industry, of national importance to the agricultural and pastoral economy.
By the mid-1970s, some New Zealand farmers decided it was time to take control of the fertiliser industry, and established a new company, the Ravensdown Fertiliser Co-operative Ltd. With help from Brierley Investments and producer board funds[citation needed] it acquired Kempthorne Prosser in 1978, and Kempthorne Prosser exited the market.
Ravensdown was described by the High Court, in March 2021, as causing a 'reputational risk' to New Zealand by importing phosphate rock mined illegally in Western Sahara.
Directly opposite the former laboratories is the office that Kempthorne Prosser occupied during the 1970s, built to replace the earlier structures (31 Stafford Street).
The Burnside Chemical Works in Kaikorai Valley Road, Dunedin was the first Kempthorne Prosser factory to be opened in 1881.
It operated until 1962, when it was sold to Dominion Fertiliser Ltd, and has since been demolished, however, one small building which functioned as the Men's Dining room still stands.
[1] Kempthorne arrived in Dunedin in April 1863, sent by the Melbourne pharmaceutical firm of H. & E. Youngman to look at the prospects of establishing a warehouse there.
He became a prominent figure in the Dunedin business community, remaining managing director of Kempthorne, Prosser & Company until 1904 when he retired.
In 1901 as the first Dunedin citizen to own a car he created a minor sensation when he was driven along Princes Street in his steam-operated two cylinder Locomobile with one of his company's engineers at the tiller.
He became unwell at a board meeting of the National Insurance Company and died of a cerebral haemorrhage in Dunedin on 3 November 1915.
He was in business in Hokitika as a chemist and druggist, and subsequently became an original partner of the well known firm of Kempthorne, Prosser and Company, Limited.
The event is thus reported in the Sydney Daily Telegraph: — A deliberate case of suicide and attempted murder occurred at Neutral Bay shortly after noon yesterday, when Mr. Evan Prosser shot himself at his residence, Raymond-road, and afterwards twice fired at his wife.
About 10 minutes after 12 yesterday Mrs. Prosser, having heard the discharge of firearms, immediately ran upstairs, and, going into the bedroom, saw her husband lying on the floor, with blood flowing from under his right ear.
She eventually managed to get possession of the revolver, and immediately sent for Dr. Shirlow, who, upon his arrival, ordered the removal of the unfortunate man to the North Shore Hospital, where attempts were made to locate the bullet by Drs.
