1951 Papua New Guinean general election

none General elections were held in Papua and New Guinea for the first time on 10 November 1951.P-NG Legislative Council: Election of Three Members Pacific Islands Monthly, November 1951, p11 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.Local voice in Papua-N. Guinea administration: Legislative Council Taking Shape After Long Delay Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1951, p9 The Administrator served as presiding officer of the legislature. 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 were not classed as a native or alien.Legislative Council 1951, Institute of Commonwealth Studies The Chinese community were also given the right to vote alongside Europeans.Future of Chinese Communities In The Pacific Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1953, p40 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. The three elected members were elected from three single-member constituencies, New Guinea Islands, New Guinea Mainland and Papua by preferential voting. Results ConstituencyCandidateVotes%NotesNew Guinea IslandsDon Barrett15052.6ElectedP.A. MacKenzie9533.3G. Renton4014.0New Guinea MainlandCarl Jacobsen15850.1ElectedS.B. Barker6721.5N.H. White6621.2E.C.N. Helton206.4PapuaErnest James268 Elected after vote transfersJ.I. Cromie223 J.R. Bleck T.F. Rosser M. Infante N.F. Maloney Invalid/blank votes –Total1,295100Registered voters/turnout1,69776.3Source: Pacific Islands Monthly Appointed members PositionMemberAdministratorJack Keith MurrayCivil servantsChief Collector of CustomsThomas Philip Myles ByrneActing Government SecretaryClaude ChampionAssistant Director of District Services and Native AffairsIvan ChampionAssistant AdministratorDonald ClelandDistrict Commissioner for NorthernSydney Elliott-SmithActing Assistant Director of District Services and Native AffairsJohn Rollo FoldiDirector of EducationWilliam GrovesDirector of Public HealthJohn GuntherSecretary of Lands, Surveys and MinesEric Patrick HolmesDirector of District Services and Native AffairsBert JonesDirector of ForestsJames Bannister McAdamDistrict Commissioner for New BritainJohn Keith McCarthyActing Director of Agriculture, Stock and FisheriesColin Charles MarrDistrict Commissioner for MorobeHorrie NiallTreasurer and Director of FinanceHarold ReeveCrown Law OfficerWalter William WatkinsRepresentatives of EuropeansDoris BoothBasil Fairfax-RossJohn Bexley SedgersRepresentatives of NativesMerari DicksonAisoli SalinPita SimogunRepresentatives of MissionariesJames DwyerFrank George LewisDavid Eric UreSource: Pacific Islands Monthly Aftermath The new Legislative Council met for the first time in Port Moresby on 26 November.Legislative Council opened Pacific Islands Monthly, December 1951, p17 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. 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.P-NG Legislative Council Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1952, p56Australian Public Servants for P-NG Key Positions Pacific Islands Monthly, January 1953 p15 Bert Jones was replaced by the new Director of Native Affairs Alan Roberts in November 1953.Promotion for Mr. A.A. Roberts Pacific Islands Monthly, December 1953, p42 C.D. Bates (District Commissioner for Morobe) and Douglas Macinnis (Secretary of Lands, Surveys and Mines) also joined the Council during its term. References Category:Elections in Papua New Guinea Papua Category:1951 in Papua New Guinea Category:Politics of Papua and New Guinea Category:Election and referendum articles with incomplete results Category:November 1951 in Oceania