Natives Confused In Election

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30391, 16 March 1964, Page 11

Natives Confused In Election

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright)

PORT MORESBY, March 15.

Papua-New Guinea election officials are having trouble with the people of New Hanover Island who want to vote for President Lyndon Johnson.

New Hanover is a tiny island off the north coast of New Ireland in the trust territory of New Guinea.

A native affairs officer says no amount of persuasion by election officials can make the natives change their minds. The trouble is believed to have been caused by United States Air Force men who recently visited the island and jokingly told natives that Mr Johnson was the best man to vote for.

A counting in the territory’s first General Elections will begin next Wednesday after a polling period lasting four weeks and a half. Results will be sent by radio telephone and radiogram to a central tally room in Port Moresby.

The chief electoral officer for the territory, Mr R. Bryant, says he does not expect the results of the elections to be known for some days, possibly up to two weeks. Mr Bryant said that figures from outlying districts indicated the poll could be as high as 70 per cent. In some areas, such as the Markham electorate, the percentage was as high as 98.

but in more primitive areas such as Chimbu and Gumine, both in New Guinea’s highlands, the percentage dropped to 40. Mr Bryant said most of the mobile polling teams had completed their patrols, and were heading back to their bases, but there were still some patrols out in more remote areas.