LABOUR SUCCESS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 287, 4 December 1941, Page 10

LABOUR SUCCESS

SAMOAN ELECTIONS

HON. O. F. NEIjSON RETURNED (0.C.) APIA, November 19. The three-yearly elections of two European elected members to the Western Samoan Legislative Council were held on November 5 and ended in the re-election of the sitting member, Hon. O. F. Nelson, who, after having first announced his intention to withdraw, decided to stand again for election, and, for the first time in the history of the Legislative Council, of a member of the Samoan Labour party, Mr. A. Stowers. The Labour victory came as a surprise to many citizens who expected that Mr. A. G. Smyth, a popular resident of Apia, would be elected as second member. The number of electors had been increased by over 200 through efforts of the various candidates. Features of the election campaign were the large number of plump votes thrown for single candidates, the absence of any reference to the war in the platforms and the absence of a large number of electors who are working at Pago Pago. The result of the election was as follows: Olaf Frederick Nelson 367 votes, Amando Stowers 238, A. G. Smyth 221, Percy W. Glover 140, Arthur Williams 116. The newly elected Labour member is a planter and one of the founders and president of the Samoan Labour party.