Fiji Legislative Council Elections 1904

In 1904 a new Legislative Council was established with ten official members, six elected European members and two Fijians chosen by the Governor from a list of six provided by the Council of Chiefs. Indians were not represented but the Agent-General for Immigration who sat in the Council as one of the ten official members indirectly represented them.

The unofficial members were elected as follows:

Two members by electors not engaged in the cultivation of land and residents of the municipality of Suva.
One member by electors not engaged in the cultivation of land and residents of the municipality of Levuka.
Two members by electors engaged in the cultivation of land, of not less than one hundred acres in extent, other than for the production of sugar.
One member by electors being directors or managers of companies engaged within the Colony in the production or manufacture of sugar. ¹

Implementation of the new constitution was delayed until the arrival of the new Governor (Everard im Thurn) in June 1904. Since this was the first election of this kind in the Colony, the elections could not be organised until the following year. The elections were held under a format different from that set out in the original 1904 constitution that 3 & 4 above were combined and three representatives were chosen from Planters.

Elections for the Suva electorate was held on 22 March 1905, whereas the election for the Planters electorate (which included all areas in Fiji other than Suva and Levuka) were held on 8 April 1905. There was only one nomination for the the Levuka electorate and he was elected unopposed. Eligible electors voted by crossing out the names of the candidates they did not want elected. ²

1. The Colony of Fiji: 1874 - 1924, Government Printer, Suva, 1925, p. 17
2. The Western Pacific Herald, 14 February 1905

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	In 1904 a new Legislative Council was established with ten official members, six elected European members and two Fijians chosen by the Governor from a list of six provided by the Council of Chiefs. Indians were not represented but the Agent-General for Immigration who sat in the Council as one of the ten official members indirectly represented them. The unofficial members were elected as follows: Two members by electors not engaged in the cultivation of land and residents of the municipality of Suva. One member by electors not engaged in the cultivation of land and residents of the municipality of Levuka. Two members by electors engaged in the cultivation of land, of not less than one hundred acres in extent, other than for the production of sugar. One member by electors being directors or managers of companies engaged within the Colony in the production or manufacture of sugar. ¹ Implementation of the new constitution was delayed until the arrival of the new Governor (Everard im Thurn) in June 1904. Since this was the first election of this kind in the Colony, the elections could not be organised until the following year. The elections were held under a format different from that set out in the original 1904 constitution that 3 & 4 above were combined and three representatives were chosen from Planters. Elections for the Suva electorate was held on 22 March 1905, whereas the election for the Planters electorate (which included all areas in Fiji other than Suva and Levuka) were held on 8 April 1905. There was only one nomination for the the Levuka electorate and he was elected unopposed. Eligible electors voted by crossing out the names of the candidates they did not want elected. ² 1. The Colony of Fiji: 1874 - 1924, Government Printer, Suva, 1925, p. 17 2. The Western Pacific Herald, 14 February 1905	Fijian Nominated Members - - European Elected Members Suva - Henry Marks - W. McRae Levuka - D. Robbie Planters - J. B. Turner - Jas. Murray - A. A. Coubrough
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