1961 Papua New Guinean general election

none General elections were held in the Territory of Papua and New Guinea on 18 March 1961.New Faces in P-NG Council Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1961, p18 Indigenous members were elected for the first time, although on an indirect basis. The territory's first political party, the United Progress Party, won three seats. 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.Papua-New Guinea On The Road To Autonomy Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1960, p17 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.Native Election Procedure in P-NG Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1961, p131 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.108 Natives Will Contest First P-NG Election Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1961, p19 ConstituencyEuropean candidatesIndigenous candidatesNew BritainDon Barrett (incumbent, UPP), John Chipper12New Guinea CoastalLloyd Hurrell (incumbent)7New Guinea HighlandsIan Downs (UPP)40New Guinea IslandsW. Meehan (UPP), Paul Mason25Western PapuaCraig Kirke (incumbent, UPP), Ron Slaughter13Eastern PapuaJohn Stuntz (UPP)11 Results ConstituencyEuropean elected memberIndigenous elected memberEastern PapuaJohn Stuntz (UPP)John GuiseHighlandsIan Downs (UPP)Kondom AgaundoNew BritainJohn ChipperVin ToBainingNew Guinea CoastalLloyd HurrellSomu SigobNew Guinea IslandsPaul MasonNicholas BrokamWestern PapuaRon Slaughter (UPP)Simoi ParadiSource: Pacific Islands Monthly Nominated members PositionMemberAssistant AdministratorJohn GuntherChief Collector of CustomsK.M. ChambersChief Native Lands CommissionerIvan ChampionDirector of Agriculture, Stock and FisheriesFrank HendersonDirector of EducationGeoffrey RoscoeDirector of Lands, Surveys and MinesDouglas MacinnisDirector of Native AffairsJohn Keith McCarthyDirector of Posts and TelegraphsWilliam Frederick CarterDirector of Public HealthRoy ScraggDirector of Public WorksJ. GlenDistrict Commissioner, MorobeHorrie NiallDistrict Commissioner, New BritainJohn Rollo FoldiSecretary for LawWalter William WatkinsTreasurer and Director of FinanceHarold ReeveAppointed membersRoma BatesBasil Fairfax-RossEphraim JubileeBonjul KorogoManeto KuradalJohn McGheePhilip StrongReuben TaurekaKinuki WabagAlice WedegaSource: Pacific Islands Monthly Aftermath Following the elections, the Administrator appointed the Administrator's Council, the territory's cabinet.P-NG's New "Cabinet" Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1961, p18 PositionMemberAssistant AdministratorJohn GuntherDirector of Native AffairsJohn Keith McCarthyTreasurerHarold ReeveUnofficial membersBasil Fairfax-RossIan DownsJohn Guise References Papua Category:1961 in Papua New Guinea Category:Elections in Papua New Guinea Category:March 1961 in Oceania Category:Election and referendum articles with incomplete results