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Ineta Didrihsone-Tomaševska, Latvia's consuls in Australia before World War II. - In: Aldis L. Putniņš, ed., Early Latvian Settlers in Australia, Melbourne: Sterling Star, 2010, pp. 157-164.

From Ineta Didrihsone-Tomaševska, Latvia's consuls in Australia before World War II:

Latvia's first consular representative in Australia was Kārlis Miķelis (also Carl Michael) Alksne (also Alksnis). Born in Latvia in August, 1888, he graduated from the maritime school in Ainaži in 1912 as a qualified ship's captain. Until 1916 he worked on Norwegian and Latvian trading vessels, and then travelled to Australia where he had a relative, Michael Paegle, in Melbourne. As an Australian citizen Alksne enlisted during WWI and served in France, where he was wounded in July, 1917. In 1919 he wrote to diplomatic staff in London recommending that a Latvian representative be appointed to support the interests of Sydney's Latvian community. His recommendation found favour and Alksne, a shipyard worker described by the Latvian consul in London as 'very energetic and patriotic in Latvian affairs', on January 15, 1921, became Latvia's representative in Australia.