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[Page 162]
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"Reference payment of £4,900 Lucas to Treasury; how much German Notes, etc. and how much specie was paid. Full particulars required."
In reply to this I forwarded the following message :-
"Your 7659: Money paid Lucas to Treasury, English £821, German Notes £2,331, German Silver
£1,792."
This money is now lying at the Treasury here awaiting transfer to Australia as soon as the necessary arrangements are made with the Commonwealth Bank, as previously recommended by me.
With regard to the Officers of the Administration who have elected to remain here, I cannot speak too highly of the services rendered by Lieut. J. Service Whittle, R.A.N.R., who accompanied my force on the "Berrima". On taking over the Administration I at once appointed Lieut. Whittle, who is a Mechanical Engineer by profession, Director of Works, and placed under his charge the maintenance of water supplies, wharves, bridges, roads, and buildings, and his work has been carried out in a masterly manner. He has also rendered conspicuous service in connection with the repairs of the engines, boilers, etc. of the various Commercial Steamers now at Rabaul, which were seized as prizes, and which I am making full use of, viz. "Summatra", "Madang", "Meklong", "Siar", "Nusa", and the Auxiliary Schooner "Samoa". He has also done good work in establishing an extensive condensing plant on shore which proved a great boon during the drought period. The wireless telegraph station at Rabaul has also been improved beyond recognition under his direction. He is prepared to remain and I strongly recommend that his service be retained. The others, viz. Captain Ravenscroft as Provost Marshal, Lieut. Manning, Officer in charge of Native Affairs,and Sergt. Moore, Post-master at Rabaul, have proved keen at their work and most useful Officers, and are worthy of retention under the new Administration.
Reverting again to the flogging of Prisoners implicated in Namatanai affair, in my last despatch I mentioned that Herr Koester was too ill to receive his punishment, and that another offender (Herr Weinands) had not been arrested. Since that date both of these offenders have been dealt with, the latter receiving 30 strokes and the former 25.
With reference to the two Krupp Field Guns taken at Rabaul, and the letter of the Secretary for Defence, dated 17th Octr., requesting that they be forwarded, one to the Military Commandant, 2nd. Military District, and the other to the Military Commandant, 3rd. Military District, I have to inform you that one Gun was sent to Sydney ex "Berrima", which left here on 4th Octr. and presumably had arrived at its destination before the letter of the Secretary for Defence alluded to above was written. If it has not been handed over to the Military Commandant, it is probably in the possession of the Naval authorities at Garden Island.
The other Gun is still here, but is without wheels, which were both damaged beyond repair, caused by the Gun, having been thrown into a ravine. I will endeavour to fit it with wheels, but if not successful I will send it to Australia as it is on first opportunity.