In 1908 , Wilhelm Solf , the German Governor , appointed Mr Reye as a secretary to the Governor . At the time of the New Zealand occupation in 1914 he was serving as principal treasury secretary . Prior to government service Reye had been a planter and , for several years , joint manager of the DSG trading company .
Ernst Reye ’ s commercially prudent activities enabled him to finance the construction of a superb home at Moto ’ otua , in Apia , shown at right .
Reye Family Collection
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