1917 Fijian general election

General elections were held in Fiji in June and July 1917.[1]

Electoral system

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Changes were made to the constitution on 20 July 1916, increasing the number of nominated members in the Legislative Council from 10 to 12; eleven were civil servants and the other had to be a British subject not holding public office.[2][3] The number of elected Europeans remained at seven and the number of appointed Fijians at two. The Governor served as President of the Council.[1]

The Europeans were elected from six constituencies; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Suva, Vanua Levu & Taveuni and Western. Voting was restricted to men aged 21 or over who had been born to European parents (or a European father and was able to read, speak and write English) who were British subjects and had been continuously resident in Fiji for 12 months, either owning at least £20 of freehold or leasehold property or having an annual income of at least £120, and were not on the public payroll.[2]

Constituency Geographical area Election date
Eastern Lau Province, Lomaiviti Province 22 June
Northern Ba District, Colo North Province, Ra Province 21 July
Southern Colo East Province, Kadavu Province, Naitasiri Province, Namosi Province, Rewa Province (except Suva), Serua Province, Tailevu Province 23 June
Suva Suva Municipality 21 July
Vanua Levu and Taveuni Bua Province, Cakaudrove Province, Macuata Province
Western Colo West Province, Lautoka District, Nadi District, Nadroga Province 20 July

Results

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Constituency Candidate Votes % Notes
Eastern John Maynard Hedstrom Unopposed Re-elected
Northern Frederick Clapcott 67 69.1 Elected
Henry Lamb Kennedy 30 30.9 Unseated
Informal votes 3
Southern Robert Crompton Unopposed Re-elected
Suva Henry Marks 187 38.2 Re-elected
Henry Milne Scott 179 36.6 Re-elected
Francis Reimenschneider 123 25.2
Informal votes 2
Vanua Levu & Taveuni Joseph MacKay 78 51.0 Elected
T.A. Montgomery 70 45.8
James McConnell 5 3.3
Informal votes 3
Western Reginald Harricks 66 71.0 Elected
Charles Wimbledon Thomas 27 29.0 Unseated
Informal votes 1
Source: Ali

Appointed members

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The nominated members were appointed on 3 August.[1]

Position Member
Governor (President) Ernest Bickham Sweet-Escott
Agent-General of Immigration Robert Malcolm Booth
Attorney General Alfred Karney Young
Chief Medical Officer George Lynch
Colonial Postmaster Herbert Paul St. Julian
Colonial Secretary Eyre Hutson
Commissioner of Lands Dyson Blair
Commissioner of Works William Akerman Miller
Receiver General Richard Sims Donkin Rankine
Registrar-General Roger Green
Secretary for Native Affairs Kenneth Allardyce
Superintendent of Agriculture Charles Henry Knowles
Representing Indo-Fijians Badri Maharaj
Fijian member Joni Madraiwiwi I
Fijian member Joni Antonio Rabici
Source: Fiji Blue Book[1]

Aftermath

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The results of the Vanua Levu and Taveuni seat were later annulled by the Supreme Court. As a result, a by-election was held in November 1917 which Joseph MacKay was again elected,[4] receiving 84 votes to the 50 of J. Harper received 50 votes and three for James McConnell.[5] However, MacKay died on 6 December.[4] John Francis Dyer was subsequently elected in the constituency in another by-election in 1919.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Fiji Blue Book for the Year 1917, p91
  2. ^ a b 1917 Legislative Council Election Fiji Elections Archive
  3. ^ Fiji, The Stationery Office, pxli
  4. ^ a b Fiji Royal Gazette 1920, p57
  5. ^ 1917 Fiji Legislative Council elections Fiji Elections
  6. ^ Fiji Blue Book for the Year 1919, p89