Port Moresby was made the seat of government, questions of land tenure and the cultivation of the land were examined, and good relations were established with many of the natives and with the missionaries. Scratchley soon contracted malaria and died at sea on aboard the Governor Blackall on 2 December 1885.
Port Moresby was designated as the governmental hub, and inquiries were made regarding land ownership and agricultural practices, which facilitated friendly connections with many local residents and missionaries. However, Scratchley soon fell ill with malaria and died at sea while traveling on the Governor Blackall in December 1885.