Samoan Legislative Council
pp. 32-33 · Read in the full issue
Messrs. A. G. Smyth and I. H. Carruthers Elected
From Our Own Correspondent
Apia, Nov. 7.
AT the termination of the three years’ legislative period on November 1, the elections for two members of the Western Samoan Legislative Council took place, and Messrs. A. G. Smyth and I. H. Car ruthers were returned. There were four candidates, Messrs. I. H. Carruthers and A. R. Cobcroft, sitting members of the Council, Mr. A. G. Smyth, general manager of O. F, Nelson & Co., Ltd., and Dr. C. M.
Dawson, private medical practitioner, and former C.M.O. of Tonga and Samoa.
The number of voters on the electoral roll has considerably decreased since the last election in 1932, there being only 134 names on the roll, against 172. A large number of residents qualified to vote had omitted to apply for the entry of their names in the roll. In the ballot only two Apia electors did not exercise their votes,
and with two votes from an outside dis trict outstanding, the results are: A. G. Smyth 80 I. H. Carruthers 65 C. M. Dawson 51 A. R. Cobcroft 42 The defeat of Mr. A. R. Cobcroft, the official candidate of the Samoa Planters' Association, came as a surprise to many observers, as it was believed that the
support of the planters and officials would carry him through. Dr. Dawson, although enjoying a well deserved popularity owing to his good professional work, takes little interest in social or sporting activities, and was therefore not sufficiently well known to residents.
Mr, A. G. Smyth and also Mrs. Smyth are very prominent in social and public affairs and sports meetings and are popu lar with all classes of European residents.
Mr. Smyth had the support of the officials, the commercial people, many planters, and practically all the local-born settlers. Mr.
Carruthers, himself local-born, also was supported by local-born residents, and by planters and commercial men. As a planter and merchant, he is able and willing to represent both sections of the community.
Honourable A. G. Smyth
Mr. Smyth was born on June 17, 1879, at Maitland, N.S.W. Educated at the Maitland Sacred Heart School, and also at the Government School on Thursday Island, he joined the staff pf Messrs.
Burns, Philp & Co., Ltd., at the latter place, staying 16 years in their service.
Later he spent four years in Papua, man aging the business of C. R. Baldwin, Ltd.
In April, 1914, Mr. Smyth went to Le vuka, Fiji, where he entered the firm of Morris, Hedstrom, Ltd. He resigned in
Mr. A. G. Smyth
1918 to accept a position with the late H. J. Moors, in Apia, Samoa. After the outbreak of the influenza epidemic in 1918 he left Samoa to open the Auckland office of Messrs. O. F. Nelson & Co., Ltd, In 1920 he bought out the business of Mr.
N. Johanssen, at Apia, which he sold to Morris, Hedstrom, Ltd., at the end of 1927.
From 1928 to 1930, Mr. Smyth was con nected with the firm of A. M. Brodziak and Co., Ltd., of Suva, Fiji, After the liqui dation of the latter firm in 1930, he re turned to Apia, to take control of the Apia branch of Morris, Hedstrom, Ltd., resign ing in 1933 to join Messrs. O. F, Nelson & Co., Ltd., of which firm he is at present general manager and a director.
Hon. I. H. Carruthers
Mr. Carruthers, who has been first elected member of the Council for the last three years, has now been elected as second member. Born in Samoa on Oc tober 27, 1888, the son of the late R. H.
Carruthers, a British barrister and solicitor, who was a prominent resident under the Three Power regime, he was educated at the Apia Marist School.
Leaving school he took up a commer cial career, starting as an island trader.
Gradually he built up a small business, owning schooners, and slowly extended his operations. For some time he was in partnership with the Hon. A. G. Smyth, but later established his own business again, now trading as I. H. Carruthers, Ltd., popularly called the “Fifty-fifty”
Store.
Following the example of his father, who introduced cocoa planting to Samoa, by planting the first 25 acres from seeds obtained from the D.H. & P.G. Co., he leased from the Administration the cocoa
plantation of Malaedono on the west coast of Upolu. Mr. Carruthers is a member of the committee of the Planters’ Association and the Chamber of Commerce, and has taken an active interest in all matters pertaining to the welfare and progress of the territory.
As first elected member he has taken an ‘important part in all discussions of the Council on matters of policy. The important new “Samoan Status Ordinance,” which gave the local-born of mixed parentage the right to declare themselves native Samoans and thus obtain land and title rights from their Samoan mothers’ side, was passed greatly due to his efforts.
Mr. G. Kingsley Roth, District Com missioner of Suva, Fiji, has been trans ferred to Levuka to relieve Mr. A.
Walker, D.C. and Collector of Customs, who has proceeded to New Zealand owing to ill-health.
Rev. Mother Mary Pia arrived in Syd ney from Europe by the French steamer Ville de Strasbourg on November 22.
Under her care was a party of missionary sisters (three Italians and seven from France), who will take up duties in the South Seas, two going to Noumea, two to Vila, three to Suva, one to Apia, and one to Tonga.
Mr. I. H. Carruthers