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8th January 1915.
Colonel Pethebridge:
With regard to the German Medical Officers who have voluntarily assisted me in connection with the European and Native Hospitals here pending the arrival of additional Medical Officers from Australia, I have agreed to the following arrangements with them as to the time of their departure for Australia:-
Dr. Runge, Herbertshohe - to leave Rabaul for Sydney about end of January, by which time the private patients now under his care will have recovered.
Dr. Wicks, Rabaul - to leave Rabaul about end of January, and in the meantime to remain in his present residence at Namanula. On his departure his house will be given up, and his wife and daughter will remain with friends in Rabaul until they receive further information from Dr. Wicks as to his ultimate destination.
Dr. Kersten, Rabaul. - has already vacated the house he occupied at Rabaul, and had taken up his residence, together with his wife, at Herr Wahlen's private residence near Herbertshohe, where I have agreed that he shall be allowed to remain on account of his wife's health, until May next.
The above gentlemen have been of very great assistance to me under the administration, and on that account I have promised, when they depart for Australia, to provide them with a letter to this effect, so that every possible assistance may be extended to them on the other side.
Two German Assistants (Faulenbach and Steinemann) are still doing duty at the Native Hospital, and are prepared to continue so long as their services are required by the P.M.O.
There are also two German Red Cross Nurses at the hospital at Namanula, and will continue service as long as they are required by the P.M.O.
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