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.
The capital city of Port Moresby was designated as the seat of government, and discussions centered on land use and farming practices, which helped to build positive relationships with many of the native people and missionaries. Unfortunately, Scratchley contracted malaria and died at sea while traveling on the Governor Blackall in December 1885.