Henry party offers prizes for signing petition —Dr Davis

Press, 2 December 1978, Page 4

Henry party offers prizes for signing petition —Dr Davis

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

I If you sign a petition ask- ! ing for new elections in the 'Cook Islands, you get a '“prize.” This is an indication [of the simmering political j situation there four months ! after Sir Albert Henry’s 13- ' year regime was overturned ! by judicial decision, ' In an exclusive interview lin Wellington, the Cook Islands new Premier (Dr Tom Davis) told nie what has happened there since then. On July 25. 1978. in a constitutionally historic decision, ■he Chief Justice.of the'Cook Islands (Mr Justice Donne) overturned the result of the General Election in March. This made the Cook Islands Democratic Party, led by Dr Davis, the new Government in place of the. Cook islands Party, led by! Sir Albert Henry. Sir Albert, aged 71. ac-j cepted the decision by say-! ing: “I'll give them (the; (Democrats) a chance at Gov-; (eminent. But I’m sorry for the country.” I But since then, according! ito Dr Davis, “acceptance”! j by Sir Albert and members of; (his party has been less than! ! complete. j On November 30, a judge !of the New Zealand Supreme; ICourt (Mr Justice Beattie); (went to Rarotonga to hear; I writs of contempt of court ! [issued against four persons.; i including the now leader of! the Cook Islands Party (Mr| I Geoffrey- Henry). ' Dr Davis said a newspaper' j funded by the Cook Islands! Party had made “scurrilous!

remarks” about Mr Justice ; Donne and his' personal! 1 habits. "The Opposition has tried’ ievery wav to reverse the i Chief Justice’s decision. They I will not accept that bribery! land corruption is a valid reaIson for having votes re-; r moved.” he said. ; “They lost the government! •.for one reason only — bri-i i berv and corruption. Already ■there have been convictions ‘lof two Cook Islanders who! I organised this bribery and; J corruption in Wellington.” I Since seeming to accept the i Chief Justice’s decision at ; ! first. Sir Albert. Henry had! .■.tried every way to it I overturned, Dr Davis said. ! Sir Albert had sought! ;l opinions on the likely suc-l J cess of taking appeals to the!

Privy Council in London ant' the Committee of 24 at th. United Nations, But then was no case for an appeal. “Now he is collecting sig natures to a petition io m< to call by-elections for th< nine seats in Rarotonga tha he forfeited,” Dr Davisaid “This petition is ad dressed to me because 1 an the only person who can cal for by-elections. “He has been approachin; children to sign- stron; Democratic Partv supporters and his people even ap proached the maid who work at my house. “These approaches haw been accompanied by misre presentation about • what the petition is for and how the; would benefit from signin; it,” Dr Davis said. “I have not seen a copy o' the petition personally. Btr I have a good idea what is in it. If it says that the judg ment of bribery and corruption was wrong and we art an appointed rather than an elected Government, then I won’t accept it because that isn’t true. “All this is a bit ironic. Years ago J was involved in a petition to Sir Albert Henry when he was Premier — I forget what about, some minor thing — which he threw in the waste-paper basket.” Dr Davis said the organisers of the petition were now offering signatories “prizes” for signing. He would not accept a petition organised in that way.