"Forty Years On, When Far and Asunder . . ."

rIE interesting and ancient photograph was taken in Rabaul on December 16, 1916, on the occasion of a cricket match between Civilians and the Australian garri son, It was sent to us by Mr. W. E.

Ryall, well-known executive of the Islands firm of Nelson and Robert son.

Mr. Ryall was able to identify seme of the people in this picture.

The first man standing on the left is Steve Whiteman, a well-known resident of New Guinea, who cap tained the Civilians’ team. Fourth from the left is Mr. L. Hart, and next to him, also from left, are Lieutenants Mcllwaine and Scroggie, members of the Occupation Force.

Mr. Ryall himself is the dark young man, seated, about the middle of the photograph. Mr. Jim Pym, who became a well-known com mercial traveller in New Guinea, is third from the right.

The match was held on the sportsground, where a Chinaman had been hanged the previous day.

The aim of the players was to try to hit the ball over the gallows.

Mr. Billy Dupain, who was then manager of Burns Philp, in Rabaul, is also in the picture, but Mr. Ryall was unable to identify him. Mr.

Dupain is now BP manager in Cairns.

Mr. Ryall had gone to Rabaul to take over for Nelson and Robertson, the management of Rabaul Hotel from Mr. W. Louri.

Many of the civilians there at the time the photograph was taken, were waiting for the Matunga to take them back to Australia, but their wait was in vain —Matunga had been captured by a German raider. They had to wait for another three months before a ship arrived to take them back to Aus tralia.