Rarotonga Has A Lively
p. 18 · Read in the full issue
Election
From a Special Correspondent r[E election for the European member of the Rarotonga Island Council resulted: McKegg (elected) 66 Watson (former member defeated) 3,7 Scott Informal 2 Total votes cast 124 The election was “lively.” Mr.
W. H. Watson, who had been for eight years a member of the Coun cil—and, in that capacity, attended six Legislative Council sessions— has been recently an unsparing critic of the Administration; and some of us believe that there is too large a proportion of the laissez faire element among the officials of the Cook Islands.
There seems no doubt that the bureaucrats “ganged up” on Mr.
Watson —they openly advocated the candidature of Mr. McKegg or Mr. Scott. As 72 of the 134 voters on the European roll are civil ser vants, or their wives, the energetic Mr. Watson was at a disadvantage.
Many of the non-officials have Euronesian wives (half European half Rarotongan) and, under the archaic laws of NZ, these people are not permitted to take the European status of their husbands, and enrol as Europeans. The officials—who are rarely more than three years in the Territory, and have only an evanescent interest in its affairs— mostly have European wives, who are allowed to vote. We do claim that this franchise is due for an overhaul.
However, it cannot be said that the new member is without local interests. Mr. McKegg was born in Rarotonga, where his father was one of the founders of the Cook Islands Trading Co.; educated in New Zealand; and served in World War I, and is held in high regard.
Mr. Watson has not been here so long, but he is one of our solidest citizens and also is held in wide respect. The bureaucrats were shrewd in running Mr. McKegg against him, and splitting his vote through the candidature of Mr H Scott, another respected old-timer.