General elections were held in

Western Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands ( Manono and Apolima); a ...

on 1 November 1935.

Electoral system

Two Europeans were elected from a single two-seat constituency. Voting was restricted to Europeans or Samoan-Europeans owning property worth at least £200 or with an annual income of at least £200. Of the European/Samoan-European population of 3,000, only 134 people were registered to vote,Samoan Europeans
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', November 1935, p32 down from 172 in the 1932 elections.Samoan Legislative Council
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', December 1935, p30

Campaign

Four candidates contested the two available seats. Incumbents and brothers-in-law Irving Carruthers and Alan Cobcroft both ran for re-election, alongside businessman Alfred Smyth and

Charles Dawson Charles Dawson (11 July 1864 – 10 August 1916) was a British amateur archaeologist who claimed to have made a number of archaeological and palaeontological discoveries that were later exposed as frauds. These forgeries included the Piltdow ...

, the territory's only private doctor. Cobcroft was supported by the Planters' Association.

Results

Smyth (82 votes) and Carruthers (65 votes) were elected,Samoan News
'' New Zealand Herald'', 30 November 1935 with Cobcroft, who finished last of the four candidates with fewer than 50 votes, surprisingly unseated.

Aftermath

Following the Goodwill Mission by the New Zealand government in 1936, the number of nominated Samoan members was increased from two to four. Tuala Tulo and

Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole Tupua Tamasese Mea'ole (3 June 1905 – 5 April 1963) was a Western Samoan paramount chief. He held the royal title of Tupua Tamasese from 1929 to 1963, and O le Ao o le Malo (Head of State) jointly with Malietoa Tanumafili II from 1962 unti ...

were appointed in addition to

Malietoa Tanumafili I Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili I (1879 – 5 July 1939) was the Malietoa in Samoa from 1898 until his death in 1939. Personal and political life Tanumafili was born in 1880 to Malietoa Laupepa and Sisavai‘i Malupo Niuva‘ai. He attended the Lon ...

and

Mata'afa Muliufi Mata'afa Lealaisalanoa Muliufi (died 29 February 1936) was a Western Samoan high chief and politician. He held the Tama-a-Aiga title of Mata'afa from 1915 until his death. Biography Muliufi was born into the Mata'afa family. ...

, taking their seats in December that year.Lauofo Meti (2002) ''Samoa: The Making of the Constitution'', National University of Samoa, p21 Malietoa resigned from the Council in July 1937 to become a Fautua. He was replaced by Namulauulu Tivoli.

References

{{Samoan elections

1935 in Western Samoa Trust Territory Elections in Samoa