This collection of slides and photographs was taken by Robert Norton on his first research trip to Fiji, which took place during the 1966 Legislative Council elections campaigning.

The general Legislative Council elections were held in late 1966, just over a year after the first constitutional conference in London, and five years after the British government announced its plan to prepare Fiji for self-government.

The indigenous Fijian leaders were initially very anxious about this objective, viewing it as a threat to the protection they believed the Fijians had enjoyed under the colonial government’s policies, based in part, on the government’s interpretation of the Deed of Cession by which nearly 100 years before the leading chiefs had entrusted the islands to the British crown.

The Fiji Indians who in the 1960s were 51% of the population, and generally more advanced economically than the Fijians (43% of the population), looked favourably on the prospect of an end to colonial rule and their principal leaders called for a common franchise to replace communal (ethnic) political representation. The very influential but tiny European minority, concerned to preserve their longstanding privileged political representation, stood with the Fijians against radical constitutional change.

The 1966 elections were the first in which broadly-based political parties competed for a substantial power in the colonial parliament. The 1965 constitutional conference had changed the parliament (legislative council) from a council dominated by colonial officials appointed by the governor, to one dominated by elected representatives: 14 Indigenous Fijians, (2 elected by the Great Council of Chiefs), 12 Indians, 10 General electors (Europeans, Part-Europeans, Pacific islanders other than Fijians, and Chinese). The new constitution completed the expansion of the vote to a universal franchise, begun in 1963. Only four seats were reserved for colonial officials.

Most of the electorates remained ethnically defined, and all the seats remained ethnically reserved.

But overlaying the many communal electorates, were now three very large Cross Voting electorates covering the entire colony. They were multi-ethnic, made up from the communal electorates, and each had three reserved seats: Fijian, Indian, and General. The electors were entitled to four votes - one in their communal electorate, and three in their cross-voting electorate. Voting was not compulsory, and to cast a valid vote an elector need tick only the communal seat ballot paper if they wished. Communal seats numbered 9 Fijian, 9 Indian, and 7 General; there were 3 Fijian, 3 Indian, and 3 General cross-voting seats. Indigenous Fijians enjoyed additional representation by the two Council of Chiefs members of the parliament.

The intention of introducing the cross-voting electorates was to give people experience in supporting candidates of different ethnic identities from their own - a step, the British said, toward an eventual common franchise without reserved seats. It was hoped that political parties would each field candidates of different ethnicity, and that these would campaign together - the communal candidates assisting the campaigning of their cross-voting partners.

Some of the slides and photos illustrate this joint campaigning in western Viti Levu, by Fijian, Indian, and General candidates of the Alliance Party. All the pictures were taken on Viti Levu, Fiji’s major island.

The Alliance Party, whose main component body was the indigenous Fijian Association, won 22 seats (12 Fijian, 3 Indian, 7 General). The Federation Party (later the National Federation Party) secured only the 9 communal Indian seats; the party fielded only one non-Indian candidate, Fijian cane farmer Penaia Rokovuni (photos 48-54). Three General candidates were elected as independents.

References

Robert Norton 'Race and Politics in Fiji', University of Queensland Press, 1977, revised edition 1990

Roderick Alley 'The Emergence of Party Politics'. In 'Politics in Fiji' edited by Brij Lal, Allen & Unwin, 1986. Pp28-51

PMBPhoto 102 is a collection of 158 photographs of Vanuatu subjects Bill Gammage took between 29 June and 22 July 2007 when on a holiday with friends, David and Beryl Gowty. The photos are of people and places on the islands of Efate, Malekula, Ambrym, Espiritu Santo, and Tanna and are complemented by the photos in PMBPhoto69 taken by Jan Gammage.
Subjects in and around Port Vila include flowers, the market, the war memorial, and Ernest’s museum.
Two towns in South Malekula, Lakatoro and Lamap, were subjects as well as Uluveo Island in the Maskelynes, south east of Malekula. Subjects in Lakatoro include flowers and fruits, the main street, and the war memorial, and in Lamap, where the Tiano family made us welcome, subjects include Levi’s Store, copra drying, and the Catholic school. On the Maskelyne Islands, subjects include mangroves, coral and coastal landscapes, fruit and Sangalai school, a string band and people arriving with goods for sale in the next day’s market.
The coast of West Ambrym up to Dip Cove is photographed, and at Wakon, subjects include Jessie and Leah Saksak and family, flowers, fruit and beaches. Other subjects include the Lake Fanteng Conservation Area, a megapod nesting area and eggs, hot springs, and rock peckings.
Subjects on Espiritu Santo include Luganville town and hinterland e.g. Sarakata River, cattle and drovers on the East Coast Road, Lonnoc and Port Olry beaches, the road to Big Bay and the Bay itself, World War 2 American ammunition dumps, and a Seventh Day Adventist baptism.
On Tanna, subjects include White Beach Resort and gardens, and the beach, including corals.

PMBPhoto 101 is a collection of 176 selected photographs of Fiji subjects taken over two weeks in August 2009. Friends living in Suva – Judith Robinson and Chris Gregory, Brij and Padma Lal and Ian and Valerie Campbell – organised several people to meet and places to visit on Viti Levu and Bau. The photos were selected from a collection of 414 photos. They complement the photos in PMBPhoto70 taken at the same time by Bill Gammage.
The subjects include places of Fiji historical and political interest such as Nukulau Island, and in Suva town, Parliament House, Government House, the Government buildings complex foundation stone, the list of Governors of Fiji 1874 to 1938 and 1938 to 1970, the Supreme Court of Fiji, buildings constructed in colonial times including the old picture theatre, the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Suva town market, the Grand Pacific Hotel, and Albert Park, and more recently the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption. A banner “We Need Rainbows Not Rambos” reflects the feelings of some people at the time. More contemporary subjects of general interest in Suva include a McDonalds fast food outlet, an artefact shop, the view across Nabukalou Creek, Pure Fiji cosmetics, and the University of the South Pacific.
Suva’s hinterland provided the following subjects: the Colo-I-Suva Forest Park and Quarry, and Nausori. Of historical and particular personal interest are the photos of the Methodist Church at Dilkusha and its attached kindergarten. Jan’s stepmother spent several months at the Dilkusha Methodist Mission after she left school in 1922. Other subjects include Takalana Resort with its lovo pit (earth oven), pineapple and other flowers and Moon Reef. For photos of dolphins see PMBPhoto70.
The Hindi wedding in Suva of Savita and Mahen is a major subject. It took place over an evening and three days, and was full of interest, colour and activity. The selection includes 50 photos.
Other major subjects are Bau, Bukuyu and Mt Tomanivi (Mt Victoria). There are 25 photos in the selection of Bau, where we were the guests of Ratu Jope Seniloli and his wife, Adi Seru Seniloli. The photos show some traditional customs as well as some of the sites of this historic island. Spending a night with Freddy and Tupou Gusulevu and family in rural Bukuyu in the Nausori Highlands was also enjoyable, and provided many subjects including kava and turmeric farming, as well as rural improvements such as local hydro electricity and football fields. The 27 photos in this selection include subjects seen on the way to and from Bukuyu including views from the Latamai Scenic View at the Tongan Hill Fort and the parabolic sand dunes at Sigatoka. Eleven photos are of subjects near Mt Tomanivi as well as the mountain itself, including Navai village and the Monasavu dam construction site.
Women are often the subject of these photographs. They are photographed working in shops, markets, as security guards, in their homes, and as participants in and guests at the wedding.

Tim Bayliss-Smith served on the Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) program in Honiara, Solomon Islands, 1965-1966. He worked as a teacher in the Survey Drafting School in the Lands Department of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate Government and as a librarian in the Geological Survey Department. Though based in Honiara, he travelled around Guadalcanal for work, as well as to Savo, Malaita and Bellona. Tim returned to Solomon Islands in 1971 for his PhD field research into energy use on Ontong Java atoll. He joined the Department of Geography at University of Cambridge in 1973 where he has continued his research in land management in the humid tropics, with particular focus on Melanesia. Professor Bayliss-Smith has made many subsequent visits to Solomon Islands throughout his research career.

This collection of 108 digitised 35mm colour slides are mainly from the period of his VSO placement (1965-1966) and mainly feature Honiara and surrounds. The images depict VSO housing; other VSO volunteers; trainees in the Survey Drafting School; Chinatown; Honiara market; WWII wreckage and other landmarks in and around Honiara. Activities such as sporting events, Easter procession; Queen's Birthday celebrations and gardening also feature.

On his return from the Middle East, Rhys Healey’s unit was disbanded so he transferred to ANGAU in early 1943. On 8 November 1948 Rhys Healey accompanied District Commissioner Horrie Niall to open Telefomin station, in Papua New Guinea, together with Assistant District Officer Des Clifton-Bassett and Patrol Officer Rodgers. Healey’s job as Medical Assistant was to check on the malaria situation – he noted that the disease was already in the valley. Healey also took with him his well trained Dokta Boi, Bunat, and both stayed six weeks to organise the building of the native hospital. As no European medical Assistant was available, Bunat stayed in charge to supervise the running of the hospital and Healey returned to Angoram on the Sepik River to his family for Christmas. Bunat was awarded a Government Medal for looking after Harris and the wounded Police in 1953. At the request of Sir Michael Somare Rhys Healey stayed in PNG after independence, until Christmas 1981, mainly to take charge of the Finance Department and to train indigenous staff quickly. (Notes from Mrs Dorothy E. Healey, April 2006.)

Following the murders, an investigative patrol was flown into the area. The patrol was lead by District Commisisoner Allan Timperley and included Distict Officers George Wearne and Allan Corrigan, Cadet Barry Ryan and Medical Assistant Rhys Healey. They inspected the villages of Komdavip and Misinmin and the rest houses in the Eliptamin Valley.

These photographs were taken by the investigative patrol in Nov 1953.

Sister Lida Tonkin (Mrs L. Gill), a nursing sister from Young, NSW, first arrived at the Methodist Mission at Raluana in New Britain (Papua New Guinea) in 1916.

The photographs and post cards include events, daily life and traditional customs practiced in Rabaul in the early 20th century. Funerary and marriage customs are represented. There is a good set of photographs on traditional fishing (PMB Photo 1_31 to PMB Photo 1_46). Other images show canoe building and sailing, basket, broom and string making and traditional houses, mission life and the Malabunga hospital. Dances, such as the Kulau dance, carvings used in dances and the