Lively Election Day

Cook Is. Council

• From Our Own Correspondent.

RAROTONGA, August 11.

ON August 7 European residents exer cised their right to vote for a repre sentative on the Cook Islands Council.

Two candidates were nominated, Mr. Bei t Shearman, sitting member, and Mr. Wil liam Mcßirney, one of the oldest white planters in the island. The election, which is only the second contested elec tion since voting was established locally, devolved into a fight between the two largest business groups, supported on the one hand by the official vote and on the other by the non-trading interests.

More than 90 votes were recorded, Mr.

Shearman being returned by a majority of 39. The result was generally antici pated, Mr. Mcßirney having stood largely to infuse a dash of colour into proceed ings which, through lack of public in terest, were in possible danger of ulti mately becoming nominational rather than electoral. In this respect the elec tion was certainly a success, both parties running round in motor cars unearthing septuagenarian voters, and figures seldom seen abroad at any other time were ob served flitting like ghosts in and out of the polling booth.

In a small community such as this, where opinions are all either known or very well suspected, the position of the various religious factions is difficult. One cannot but commend the tactful attitude adopted by both the Catholic and Seventh Day Adventist missions by abstaining from any active part in what might have savoured of political or personal par tisanship.