1961 Papua New Guinean general election

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General elections were held in the Territory of Papua and New Guinea on 18 March 1961.[1] Indigenous members were elected for the first time, although on an indirect basis. The territory's first political party, the , won three seats.[1]

Background[]

In September 1960 the Australian government announced that the Legislative Council would be expanded. Having previously been a 29-member body with 17 officials (civil servants), nine appointed members and three elected members, the new council was to have 37 members, of which 15 were officials, 10 were appointees (of which at least five would be indigenous members) and twelve were elected. The twelve elected members would consist of six Europeans elected directly from single-member constituencies, and six indigenous members indirectly elected from the same constituencies.[2]

The indirect elections for the indigenous members saw 220 representatives nominated by 39 Native Local Government Council and 144 representatives nominated by 33 special electoral groups, covering areas where no Native Local Government Council existed.[3] The 364 representatives subsequently elected the six indigenous members of the Legislative Council.

Campaign[]

A total of 108 candidates contested the six indigenous seats, whilst only nine ran in the six European seats, leaving three candidates elected unopposed.[4]

Constituency European candidates Indigenous candidates
New Britain Don Barrett (incumbent, UPP), John Chipper 12
New Guinea Coastal (incumbent) 7
New Guinea Highlands (UPP) 40
New Guinea Islands W. Meehan (UPP), Paul Mason 25
Western Papua (incumbent, UPP), 13
Eastern Papua (UPP) 11

Results[]

Constituency European elected member Indigenous elected member
Eastern Papua (UPP) John Guise
Highlands (UPP) Kondom Agaundo
New Britain John Chipper
New Guinea Coastal
New Guinea Islands Paul Mason Nicholas Brokam
Western Papua (UPP)
Source: Pacific Islands Monthly

Nominated members[]

Position Member
Assistant Administrator John Gunther
Chief Collector of Customs K.M. Chambers
Chief Native Lands Commissioner Ivan Champion
Director of Agriculture, Stock and Fisheries Frank Henderson
Director of Education Geoffrey Roscoe
Director of Lands, Surveys and Mines Douglas Macinnis
Director of Native Affairs John Keith McCarthy
Director of Posts and Telegraphs William Frederick Carter
Director of Public Health Roy Scragg
Director of Public Works J. Glen
District Commissioner, Morobe
District Commissioner, New Britain John Rollo Foldi
Secretary for Law Walter William Watkins
Treasurer and Director of Finance Harold Reeve
Appointed members
Basil Fairfax-Ross
Ephraim Jubilee
Maneto Kuradal
Philip Strong
Alice Wedega
Source: Pacific Islands Monthly

Aftermath[]

Following the elections, the Administrator appointed the Administrator's Council, the territory's cabinet.[5]

Position Member
Assistant Administrator John Gunther
Director of Native Affairs John Keith McCarthy
Treasurer Harold Reeve
Unofficial members Basil Fairfax-Ross
John Guise

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b New Faces in P-NG Council Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1961, p18
  2. ^ Papua-New Guinea On The Road To Autonomy Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1960, p17
  3. ^ Native Election Procedure in P-NG Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1961, p131
  4. ^ 108 Natives Will Contest First P-NG Election Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1961, p19
  5. ^ P-NG's New "Cabinet" Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1961, p18
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