Alexander William Johnston (20 August 1869 – 15 June 1932) was a British-born soldier, businessman and politician. He was a member of the Legislative Council in Western Samoa from 1928 until his death in 1932.

Biography

Johnston was born in Edinburgh in 1869.Hon. A. V. Johnston Dead
, '' Pacific Islands Monthly'', August 1932, p40 He served in the British Army in India and South Africa, before being sent to New Zealand to work as a military instructor. In 1915 he was part of the first reinforcement contingent that arrived in Western Samoa during World War I. He was discharged from the military in 1920. After leaving the army, he became branch manager of the Burns Philp company in Saluafata district. Johnston contested the

1926 elections The following elections occurred in the year 1926. Africa * 1926 Egyptian parliamentary election * 1926 Lagos by-election * 1926 Northern Rhodesian general election * 1926 South West African legislative election Asia * 1926 Hong Kong sanitary ...

to the Legislative Council, but was unsuccessful. However, in 1928 he was appointed to the Council by the

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to replace elected member Olaf Frederick Nelson,Mr. Alexander William Johnston has been appointed to the seat in the Legislative Council of Western Samoa formerly occupied by the Hon. O. F. Nelson
''The Evening Post'', 27 April 1928 who had been deported.Lauofo Meti (2002) ''Samoa: The Making of the Constitution'', National University of Samoa, p20 Prior to the 1929 elections, Johnston resigned from his nominated seat and stood for one of the elected seats. He was elected with the most votes, alongside

Samuel Meredith Samuel Meredith (1741 – February 10, 1817) was an American merchant from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a delegate for Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress from 1786 to 1788. President Washington appointed him Treasurer of the United ...

. Johnston died of pneumonia on 15 June 1932, and was given a military funeral.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnston, Alexander 1869 births Politicians from Edinburgh British Army personnel of World War I 20th-century Samoan businesspeople Members of the Legislative Council of Samoa 1932 deaths Deaths from pneumonia in Samoa British emigrants to Samoa British people in colonial India Western Samoa Trust Territory people