 |
|---|
General elections were held in Fiji in 1929. They were the first in which Indo-Fijians were allowed to vote.
| |
|---|
General elections were held in Fiji in 1929. They were the first in which Indo-Fijians were allowed to vote.
Indo-Fijians had previously been able to vote in municipal elections, but when elections to the Legislative Council were introduced in 1905, the Governor noted that he "did not consider it necessary to provide for the representation of the Indians and Pacific Islanders because they had shown themselves open to corruption at the municipal elections." [1] Subsequently, the community lost its right to vote in local elections in 1912. [1] In 1916 provision was made for an Indo-Fijian member of the Legislative Council, but they were appointed by the Governor rather than elected. [1]
Constitutional amendments made on 1 May 1929 changed the composition of the Legislative Council. [2] The number of appointed members was increased from 12 to 13, with all 13 now required to be civil servants (previously one of the appointed members had been from outside the civil service). [2] [3] The number of elected members was increased from seven to nine, with the number of European elected members reduced from seven to six (elected from five constituencies, reduced from six with the removal of Suva), and three elected seats created for Indo-Fijians. [2] The number of appointed Fijian members was increased from two to three; they were appointed from a list of between four and six potential candidates presented to the Governor by the Great Council of Chiefs. The Governor also sat in the Council as its President. [2]
Voter eligibility remained unchanged for Europeans, being 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, and who either owned at least £20 of freehold or leasehold property or had an annual income of at least £120. [2]
For Indo-Fijians, eligibility was also restricted to men aged 21 or over. They had to be a British subject or from British India, have lived continuously in the Fiji for at least two years, be able to read or write in English, Gujarati, Gurmukhi, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu or Urdu, and for the previous six months, have either owned property with an annual value of five years, had a net annual cash income of at least £75, or held a Government or municipal licence worth at least £5 annually. [2]
In both ethnic categories, civil servants were barred from voting. [2]
Three sitting members of the Council contested the two seats in the redrawn Southern constituency; Alport Barker who had represented the old Southern constituency, and Henry Milne Scott and Henry Marks, who been the two members for Suva since 1911 (Milne Scott was first elected in 1908). Marks was unseated after 18 years on the Council, finishing 125 votes behind Barker.
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| European members | ||||
| Eastern | John Maynard Hedstrom | Unopposed | Re-elected | |
| Northern | Hugh Ragg | Unopposed | Elected | |
| Southern | Henry Milne Scott | 471 | 38.5 | Re-elected |
| Alport Barker | 438 | 35.8 | Re-elected | |
| Henry Marks | 313 | 25.6 | Unseated | |
| Informal votes | 7 | – | ||
| Vanua Levu & Taveuni | William Edmund Willoughby-Tottenham | 120 | 88.9 | Re-elected |
| E. Hathaway | 15 | 11.1 | ||
| Informal votes | 32 | – | ||
| Western | John Percy Bayly | 59 | 32.4 | Elected |
| Charles Wimbledon Thomas | 50 | 27.5 | ||
| P. Costello | 49 | 26.9 | ||
| Percival William Faddy | 24 | 13.2 | Unseated | |
| Informal votes | 7 | – | ||
| Indo-Fijian members | ||||
| Eastern | James Ramchandar Rao | 63 | 75.9 | Elected |
| Khalil Sahim | 20 | 24.1 | ||
| Informal votes | 5 | – | ||
| Northern and Western | Parmanand Singh | 309 | 58.2 | Elected |
| Champadan Manakandan Gopalan | 222 | 41.8 | ||
| Informal votes | 57 | – | ||
| Southern | Vishnu Deo | 419 | 72.1 | Elected |
| John F. Grant | 162 | 27.9 | ||
| Informal | 13 | – | ||
| Source: Ali | ||||
Popi Seniloli and Deve Toganivalu were appointed as Fijian members. [4]
After the Legislative Council was opened, Deo put forward a resolution for a common electoral roll on 5 November 1929. After it was defeated, the three Indo-Fijian members walked out of the Council. After missing three sittings, they were deemed to have forfeited their seats and by-elections were called. However, no nominations were received. [5] As a result, the Indo-Fijian seats were left vacant until 1932. [6]
Since becoming independent of the United Kingdom in 1970, Fiji has had four constitutions, and the voting system has changed accordingly.
The Legislative Council of Fiji was the colonial precursor to the present-day Parliament, which came into existence when Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970.
Andrew Indar Narayan Deoki was an Indo-Fijian statesman who served his community as a social and religious leader, soccer administrator, member of the Legislative Council and Senate in independent Fiji and as Attorney General.
General elections were held in Fiji on 22 March and 8 April 1905.
General elections were held in Fiji on 23 March and 10 April 1908.
General elections were held in Fiji in June and July 1917.
General elections were held in Fiji in July, August and September 1920.
General elections were held in Fiji in 1923.
General elections were held in Fiji in 1926.
General elections were held in Fiji on 31 August 1932, although only one of the nine elected seats was contested.
General elections were held in Fiji in July 1937, the first in which an equal number of Europeans and Indo-Fijians were elected.
General elections were held in Fiji on 20 July 1940.
General elections were held in Fiji on 29 July 1944. The term of the Legislative Council elected in 1940 was due to end in 1943, but was extended by a year by the Governor.
General elections were held in Fiji in September 1947. Voting took place in the Northern and Western and Southern constituencies on 20 September, with voting in the Eastern constituency carried out between 15 and 22 September.
General elections were held in Fiji in August 1950. Voting took place in most locations on 26 August, and in the Lau and Lomaiviti Islands between 21 and 28 August.
General elections were held in Fiji on 29 August 1953.
General elections were held in Fiji in August 1956; voting took place in the Eastern constituencies between 11 and 18 August, and on 18 August in all other constituencies.
General elections were held in Fiji in September 1959, the last in which women and ethnic Fijians were still barred from voting. Voting took place in the Eastern constituencies between 5 and 12 September, and in the Northern and Western and Southern constituencies on 12 September.
Sir Henry Milne Scott was a Fijian lawyer, businessman, politician and international cricketer. Alongside Robert Crompton, Henry Marks and John Maynard Hedstrom, he was one of the 'big four' that heavily influenced the Fijian economy and political sphere in the first half of the 20th century.
Sir Henry Marks was an Australian-born Fijian politician, serving as a member of the Legislative Council of Fiji for over twenty years. Alongside Robert Crompton, John Maynard Hedstrom and Henry Milne Scott, he was one of the 'big four' that heavily influenced the Fijian economy and political sphere in the first half of the 20th century.
