General elections were held in
Western Samoa on 28 April 1948,
[Samoan Election: Vigorous New Party In The Field]
'' Pacific Islands Monthly'', April 1948, p27 the first to the new
Legislative Assembly. The
United Citizens Party
The United Citizens Party (UCP) was first organized in 1969 in the U.S. state of South Carolina in response to the state Democratic Party's opposition to nominating black candidates. The party's objective was to elect blacks to the legislature a ...
won four of the five directly-elected seats.
Electoral system
The new 26-member Legislative Assembly consisted of the
Administrator
Administrator or admin may refer to:
Job roles Computing and internet
* Database administrator, a person who is responsible for the environmental aspects of a database
* Forum administrator, one who oversees discussions on an Internet forum
* N ...
, six civil servants, eleven Samoans appointed by the
Fono of Faipule
The Fono of Faipule was a legislature in Western Samoa during the colonial era. It consisted of representatives (''faipule'') from each district.[United Citizens Party
The United Citizens Party (UCP) was first organized in 1969 in the U.S. state of South Carolina in response to the state Democratic Party's opposition to nominating black candidates. The party's objective was to elect blacks to the legislature a ...]
, which was formed at a meeting on 16 March and supported by prominent businessmen in
Apia, and the
Labour Party led by
.
[ Both parties nominated a full slate of five candidates, with the United Citizens Party holding a primary election to select its candidates after nine members put themselves forwards.][
The campaign included radio broadcasts, public meetings and leafleting.][
]
Results
European members
By candidate
Samoan members
A series of meetings was held in January 1948 to select the 11 Samoan representatives. However, the meetings were inconclusive, and instead a list of 31 names was given to the three , Mata'afa, Malietoa and Tamasese to choose from. The choices were announced in mid-April.[W. Samoa's New Assembly Now Taking Shape: Samoan Members Chosen]
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', May 1948, p49
Aftermath
The new Legislative Assembly was opened on 2 June 1948 with a ceremony at Mulinu'u involving the new national flag
A national flag is a flag that represents and symbolizes a given nation. It is flown by the government of that nation, but usually can also be flown by its citizens. A national flag is typically designed with specific meanings for its colours ...
being formally raised for the first time.New Assembly In Samoa: Quarantine Imposes Last-Minute Absence of the NZ Prime Minister
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', June 1948, p7
After the death of Fautua Mata'afa Faumuina Fiame Mulinu'u I in 1948, the Fono requested that they be allowed to elect a twelfth member to replace him. This was authorised by the Samoa Amendment Act 1949, and Gatoloai Peseta Sio was elected by the Fono to be the twelfth member on 1 April 1950.[Lauofo Meti (2002) ''Samoa: The Making of the Constitution'', National University of Samoa, p28]
References
{{Samoan elections
Elections in Samoa
Western Samoa
General