Without Departmental

Chiefs

From Our Own Correspondent.

Rabaul, Oct. 24.

WHEN the s.s. Tanda sailed for the East at noon to-day it left Rabaul prac tically without Government departmental chiefs.

The Administrator is on leave in Aus tralia.

The Secretary for Lands (Hon. E. P.

Holmes) and the Director of Public Works (Hon. E. Knox) have departed on leave.

Prior to that, the Director of Public Health (Hon. E. T. Brennan), the Director of District Services (Hon. E. W. P. Chin nery), the Economic Botanist (Mr. R.

Dwyer), the Harbour Master (Mr. C.

Webb), and the Chief Dispenser (Mr. J.

Cruise) had departed on an inter-island tour of inspection.

The Government Secretary (Hon. H. H.

Page) and the Superintendent of Police (Colonel Walstab), the Superintendent of Stores (Mr. J. Savage), the Entomologist (Mr. J. Froggatt), and the Chief Collector of Customs (Hon. E. F. Phibbs) were all away on leave.

At the same time the Director of Agri culture (Hon. G. H. Murray) was receiving medical attention in hospital.

His Honour the Chief Judge is here, but he is a sick man. He is grimly attend ing to his duties as Acting Administrator, although his health really demands abso lute rest.

Of the Departmental chiefs, this leaves only the Treasurer (Hon. Orton Townsend) and the Crown Law Officer (Hon. Gerald Hogan) actually occupying their office chairs.

The return on Monday is expected of Dr.

Brennan, Commander Webb and Mr.

Cruise, when the Macdhui arrives from the outports.

Mr. Charles Edward Dixon, of Port Moresby, married Miss Anne Danswan, also of Port Moresby, at the Papuan Registrar’s office on October 17.