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1954 Papua New Guinean general election

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General elections were held in Papua and New Guinea on 2 October 1954.[1]

Electoral system

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The 29-member Legislative Council consisted of the Administrator, 16 civil servants, nine members appointed by the Administrator (three representatives of the indigenous population, three representing European settlers and three representing missionaries) and three elected Europeans.[2] The Chinese community were also given the right to vote alongside Europeans.[3] However, although there were around 13,000 Europeans and 2,000 Chinese in the territory, only around 2,700 people registered to vote.[1]

The three elected members were elected from three single-member constituencies, New Guinea Islands, New Guinea Mainland and Papua by preferential voting.[4] Voting was not compulsory.[5]

Campaign

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Nominations for the three elected seats closed on 9 August, with five candidates put forward. The New Guinea Islands seat was contested by the incumbent Don Barrett and John Stokie, a plantation manager. In New Guinea Mainland, the incumbent Carl Jacobsen did not run, resulting in a contest between the theatre owner Harry Starr and optometrist and planter George Whittaker. Incumbent MLC Ernest James was the only candidate in Papua.[6]

Results

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Constituency Candidate Votes % Notes
New Guinea Islands Don Barrett 408 77.9 Re-elected
John Stokie 116 22.1
New Guinea Mainland George Whittaker 145 78.4 Elected
Harry Starr 40 21.6
Papua Ernest James Unopposed Re-elected
Invalid/blank votes 25
Total 734 100
Registered voters/turnout 1,825 40.2
Source: Pacific Islands Monthly

Appointed members

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Position Member
Administrator Donald Cleland
Civil servants Chief Collector of Customs Frank Lee
Government Secretary Steven Lonergan
Chief Native Lands Commissioner Ivan Champion
Crown Law Officer Walter William Watkins
Director of Agriculture, Stock and Fisheries R.E.P. Dwyer
Director of District Services and Native Affairs Alan Roberts
Acting Assistant Director of District Services and Native Affairs John Rollo Foldi
Director of Education William Groves
Director of Forests James Bannister McAdam
Director of Health John Gunther
District Commissioner for Central District Sydney Elliott-Smith
District Commissioner for Madang R.W. Wilson
District Commissioner for Morobe Horrie Niall
District Commissioner for New Britain John Keith McCarthy
Secretary of Lands, Surveys and Mines Douglas Macinnis
Treasurer and Director of Finance Harold Reeve
Representatives of Europeans Doris Booth
Robert Bunting
Basil Fairfax-Ross
Representatives of Natives Merari Dickson
Pita Simogun
John Vuia
Representatives of Missionaries James Dwyer
Frank George Lewis
David Eric Ure
Source: Pacific Islands Monthly, Institute of Commonwealth Studies[7]

Aftermath

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In March 1955 Frank Lee was replaced by Thomas Grahamslaw.[8] Later in the year missionary representative Frank George Lewis left the territory and was replaced in the Council by Philip Strong.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b Territorians Show Disinterest In Local Politics Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1954, p12
  2. ^ Local voice in Papua-N. Guinea administration: Legislative Council Taking Shape After Long Delay Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1951, p9
  3. ^ Future of Chinese Communities In The Pacific Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1953, p40
  4. ^ P-NG Legislative Council: Election of Three Members Pacific Islands Monthly, November 1951, p11
  5. ^ P-NGs Second Council Elections, October 2 Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1954, p31
  6. ^ Only Few Seek PN-G Voters' Favour Pacific Islands Monthly, August 1954, p16
  7. ^ Legislative Council 1954, Institute of Commonwealth Studies
  8. ^ Popular Promotion for Mr. T. Grahamslaw Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1955, p63
  9. ^ His Lordship the Bishop of New Guinea Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1955, p9