A Blazing Noonday Sun

Gilbert, Ellice To The Polls Under

The Gilbert and Ellice Islands went to the polls in late March , members to an enlaroeH e*ect memoers to an enlarged

Legislative Council, which would

establish a Ministerial Member system of government The new Ledslative Council will f or the first time have a maio fv nf

dieted members (28 an? five off!

cers) and the ri « h ‘ ‘° elect a Leader of Government Business who will take over much of the role formerly played by the Assistant Resident Commissioner (PIM Jan. p. 22 Dec., p. 29). ’

The GEIC is to be separated from the Western Pacific High Commission.

On the eve of the elections the Tarawa Colony Information Notes, published by the GEIC Information Office, summed up for the electors in this colourful fashion: “We must ask ourselves why these people are running for election and what they intend to do for our colony if they get into the Legislative Council. Do they want to stand because they are genuinely determined to see something good done for the benefit of the general community in the de-

cisive steps for our future political sta * us and in ‘he fields of economic a . nd soclal servlces > or because they like t 0 earn $lO a day at the House to buy tobacco and bully-beef, earn 52.500 a year (if with luck he/she enters the Executive Council) and have that extra cash to spend on Aus ‘ tralian beer - ride in the State’s aut °mobiles > wear neck,ies and attend Par ‘ ieS beC ° me 3 Wg shot.

“ We must not also be taken un awares of the danger of electing someone who is a member of our families or is connected to us in one wa V or the other, merely for that reason, but we must recognise a per son’s true qualities and elect him or ber f° r wbat be or sbe * s —whether be comes from a different island and be or she is a Catholic, a Protestant, a Mormon, Bahai, Seventh Day Ad ventist, Buddhist, or whether he/she owns no lands or is a rich landowner, “With these things to consider and with a free conscience we must go to vote at this important stage of our constitutional development. Let us pray that we see things not in a doubt ful twilight, but under the full blaze of the noonday sun”.