1951 Papua New Guinean general election

General elections were held in Papua and New Guinea for the first time on 10 November 1951.[1]

Papua New Guinea
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politics and government of
Papua New Guinea

Electoral system

The Legislative Council was formed following the amalgamation of the Territory of Papua and the Territory of New Guinea after World War II. The bill passed by the Australian parliament provided for a 29-member Council consisting 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 Administrator served as presiding officer of the legislature.[3]

Voting was restricted to residents aged 21 or over who had lived in the territory for the last 12 months prior to registering to vote and weree not classed as a native or alien.[3] The Chinese community were also given the right to vote alongside Europeans.[4] Candidates had to have lived continuously in the territory for the three years prior to submitting their nomination paper and not be a public employee.[3]

The three elected members were elected from three single-member constituencies, New Guinea Islands, New Guinea Mainland and Papua by preferential voting.[1]

Results
Constituency Candidate Votes % Notes
New Guinea IslandsDon Barrett15052.6Elected
P.A. MacKenzie9533.3
G. Renton4014.0
New Guinea MainlandCarl Jacobsen15850.1Elected
S.B. Barker6721.5
N.H. White6621.2
E.C.N. Helton206.4
PapuaErnest James268Elected after preferences
J.I. Cromie223
J.R. Bleck
T.F. Rosser
M. Infante
N.F. Maloney
Invalid/blank votes–
Total1,295100
Registered voters/turnout1,69776.3
Source: Pacific Islands Monthly

Appointed members
Position Member
AdministratorJack Keith Murray
Civil servantsChief Collector of CustomsThomas Philip Myles Byrne
Acting Government SecretaryClaude Champion
Assistant Director of District Services and Native AffairsIvan Champion
Assistant AdministratorDonald Cleland
District Commissioner for NorthernSydney Elliott-Smith
Acting Assistant Director of District Services and Native AffairsJohn Rollo Foldi
Director of EducationWilliam Groves
Director of Public HealthJohn Gunther
Secretary of Lands, Surveys and MinesEric Patrick Holmes
Director of District Services and Native AffairsBert Jones
Director of ForestsJames Bannister McAdam
District Commissioner for New BritainJohn Keith McCarthy
Acting Director of Agriculture, Stock and FisheriesColin Charles Marr
District Commissioner for MorobeHorrie Niall
Treasurer and Director of FinanceHarold Reeve
Crown Law OfficerWalter William Watkins
Representatives of EuropeansDoris Booth
Basil Fairfax-Ross
John Bexley Sedgers
Representatives of NativesMerari Dickson
Aisoli Salin
Pita Simogun
Representatives of MissionariesJames Dwyer
Frank George Lewis
David Eric Ure
Source: Pacific Islands Monthly

Aftermath

The new Legislative Council met for the first time in Port Moresby on 26 November.[5]

In February 1952 Steven Lonergan (Government Secretary) and R.E.P. Dwyer (Director of Agriculture) replaced Claude Champion and Colin Marr, who had been acting in their positions at the time the council was appointed.[6] Thomas Byrne died in February 1952 and was temporarily replaced by Acting Chief Collector of Customs Thomas Grahamslaw until Frank Lee was appointed as Byrne's permanent replacement later in the year.[6][7]

Bert Jones was replaced by the new Director of Native Affairs Alan Roberts in November 1953.[8] C.D. Bates (District Commissioner for Morobe) and Douglas Macinnis (Secretary of Lands, Surveys and Mines) also joined the Council during its term.[3]

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References
  1. P-NG Legislative Council: Election of Three Members Pacific Islands Monthly, November 1951, p11
  2. Local voice in Papua-N. Guinea administration: Legislative Council Taking Shape After Long Delay Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1951, p9
  3. Legislative Council 1951, Institute of Commonwealth Studies
  4. Future of Chinese Communities In The Pacific Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1953, p40
  5. Legislative Council opened Pacific Islands Monthly, December 1951, p17
  6. P-NG Legislative Council Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1952, p56
  7. Australian Public Servants for P-NG Key Positions Pacific Islands Monthly, January 1953 p15
  8. Promotion for Mr. A.A. Roberts Pacific Islands Monthly, December 1953, p42
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