1914 Fijian general election

General elections were held in Fiji between 19 May and 20 June 1914.[1]

Electoral system

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The Legislative Council included seven elected Europeans who were elected from six constituencies created as a result of amendments to the constitution made on 31 January 1914, which increased the number of elected Europeans from six to seven and the number of constituencies from five to six. The new constituencies were Eastern, Northern, Southern, Suva, Vanua Levu & Taveuni and Western.[2]

Constituency Geographical area Election date
Eastern Lau Province, Lomaiviti Province, Levuka municipality 19 May[1]
Northern Ba District, Colo North Province, Ra Province 19 June
Southern Colo East Province, Kadavu Province, Naitasiri Province, Namosi Province, Rewa Province (except Levuka), Serua Province, Tailevu Province 19 May
Suva Suva Municipality 20 June
Vanua Levu and Taveuni Bua Province, Cakaudrove Province, Macuata Province 19 June
Western Colo West Province, Lautoka District, Nadi District, Nadroga Province 19 June

Results

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Constituency Candidate Votes % Notes
Eastern John Maynard Hedstrom Unopposed Re-elected
Northern Henry Lamb Kennedy 53 58.2 Elected
L. Davidson 38 41.8
Southern Robert Crompton Unopposed Elected
Suva Henry Milne Scott 221 41.9 Re-elected
Henry Marks 210 39.8 Re-elected
C.A. Brough 96 18.2
Vanua Levu & Taveuni Edward Duncan 99 79.2 Elected
James McConnell 26 20.8
Western Charles Wimbledon Thomas 89 66.4 Re-elected
J.C. Doyle 45 33.6
Source: Ali

Appointed members

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Position Member
Governor (President) Ernest Bickham Sweet-Escott
Agent-General of Immigration Sydney Frederick Smith
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
Inspector General of Constabulary Islay McOwan
Native Commissioner Kenneth Allardyce
Receiver General Richard Sims Donkin Rankine
Superintendent of Agriculture Charles Henry Knowles
Fijian member Joni Madraiwiwi I
Fijian member Joni Antonio Rabici
Source: Fiji Blue Book[1]

Aftermath

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Further changes were made to the constitution in 1916, increasing the number of nominated members from 10 to 12; eleven were civil servants and the other had to be a British subject not holding public office.[3][4] Badri Maharaj was chosen as the twelfth nominated member, becoming the first Indo-Fijian member of the Legislative Council.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Fiji Blue Book for the Year 1914, p85
  2. ^ 1914 Fiji Legislative Council elections Fiji Elections
  3. ^ 1917 Legislative Council Election Fiji Elections Archive
  4. ^ Fiji, The Stationery Office, pxli
  5. ^ Brij V. Lal (1992) Broken Waves: A History of the Fiji Islands in the Twentieth Century, University of Hawaii Press, p38