General elections were held in the Solomon Islands in May and June 1970, the first to the new Governing Council. Most candidates ran as independents.[1]
The new Governing Council consisted of seventeen elected members (increased from fourteen in the Legislative Council), six civil servants (down from twelve) and three ex officio members, the first time a Solomon Islands legislature had an elected majority. The Council was to be chaired by the High Commissioner.[2]
Rather than introducing cabinet government, the new constitution provided for government by committee, which was deemed more in line with Melanesian culture of reaching agreement by consensus rather than majority vote. The Governing Council had five committees, which were responsible for Communications and Works, Education and Social Welfare, Finance, Health and Internal Affairs, and Natural Resources.[3]
| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left rowspan=6 | Central Malaita | Jonathan Fiifii'i | 613 | 36.47 | Elected |
| Daniel Foasifobae | 442 | 26.29 | |||
| Peter Taloni | 284 | 16.89 | Unseated | ||
| Nelson Kifo | 173 | 10.29 | |||
| Calisto Kobiloko | 169 | 10.05 | |||
| Total | 1,681 | 100 | |||
| align=left rowspan=6 | Choiseul/Shortlands | Remesio Eresi | 778 | 36.36 | Elected |
| Binet Gadebeta | 520 | 24.30 | |||
| Moses Puibangara Pitakaka | 506 | 23.64 | |||
| John Macdonald | 173 | 8.08 | |||
| Jason Dorovolomo | 163 | 7.62 | |||
| Total | 2,140 | 100 | |||
| align=left rowspan=6 | East Guadalcanal | Leone Laku | 442 | 37.94 | Re-elected |
| Joseph Bryan | 422 | 36.22 | |||
| Joel Kikolo | 146 | 12.53 | |||
| David Valusa | 89 | 7.64 | |||
| William Norman Tasker | 66 | 5.67 | |||
| Total | 1,165 | 100 | |||
| align=left rowspan=5 | Eastern Outer Islands | David Dawea Taukalo | Elected by electoral college | ||
| P Bagira | |||||
| TAC Hepwerth | |||||
| Jason Melake | |||||
| Total | |||||
| align=left rowspan=4 | Honiara | Peter Salaka | 874 | 57.92 | Elected |
| Peter Kenilorea | 327 | 21.67 | |||
| Peter Smith | 308 | 20.41 | |||
| Total | 1,509 | 100 | |||
| align=left rowspan=4 | Makira | Solomon Mamaloni | 1,286 | 46.95 | Elected |
| Geoffrey Kuper | 1,280 | 46.73 | |||
| Nathaniel Rahumae Waena | 173 | 6.32 | |||
| Total | 2,739 | 100 | |||
| align=left rowspan=5 | New Georgia | Samuel Kuku | 1,154 | 55.37 | Elected |
| Frank Wickham | 624 | 29.94 | |||
| George Pina Lilo | 247 | 11.85 | |||
| Aaron Ben | 59 | 2.83 | |||
| Total | 2,084 | 100 | |||
| align=left rowspan=5 | Ngella/Savo/Russells | Edmond Kiva | 1,054 | 55.50 | Elected |
| Cecil Wilson Maneau | 456 | 24.01 | |||
| Silas Niavuni | 213 | 11.22 | |||
| John Plant Hoka | 176 | 9.27 | Unseated | ||
| Total | 1,899 | 100 | |||
| align=left rowspan=3 | North Central Malaita | Peter Kerr Thompson | 1,441 | 71.23 | Re-elected |
| John Maetia Kaliuae | 582 | 28.77 | |||
| Total | 2,023 | 100 | |||
| align=left rowspan=3 | North East Malaita | Mariano Kelesi | 899 | 66.74 | Re-elected |
| Dudley Kiriau | 448 | 33.26 | |||
| Total | 1,347 | 100 | |||
| align=left rowspan=3 | North Malaita | Clement Kiriau Ofai | 657 | 59.35 | Re-elected |
| Jotham Ausuta | 450 | 40.65 | |||
| Total | 1,107 | 100 | |||
| align=left rowspan=3 | Santa Isabel | Willie Betu | 1,423 | 72.53 | Re-elected |
| Daniel Denys Maile | 539 | 27.47 | |||
| Total | 1,962 | 100 | |||
| align=left rowspan=3 | South Central Malaita | David Kausimae | 1,552 | 91.08 | Re-elected |
| Eliel Ahikau | 152 | 8.92 | |||
| Total | 1,704 | 100 | |||
| South Guadalcanal | George Pugeva | — | — | Elected unopposed | |
| align=left rowspan=4 | South Malaita | Anthony Saru | 544 | 41.24 | Elected |
| Aziel Laealaha | 489 | 37.07 | |||
| George Garnet | 286 | 21.68 | |||
| Total | 1,319 | 100 | |||
| align=left rowspan=5 | Vella Lavella/Kolombangara | Gordon Siama | 938 | 45.51 | Elected |
| Belshazzar Gina | 507 | 24.60 | |||
| Bruce Ragoso | 380 | 18.44 | |||
| George Talasasa | 236 | 11.45 | |||
| Total | 2,061 | 100 | |||
| align=left rowspan=5 | West Guadalcanal | Alfred Maeke | 465 | 31.61 | Elected |
| Bara Buchanan | 345 | 23.45 | |||
| David Thuguvoda | 337 | 22.91 | |||
| Matthew Belamataga | 324 | 22.03 | |||
| Total | 1,471 | 100 | |||
| align=left colspan=2 | Registered voters/turnout | 51,904 | |||
| Source: Social Science Research Network,[4] Election Passport[5] | |||||
| Position | Member | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ex officio | Acting Chief Secretary | R. Davies | |
| Attorney-General | D.R. Davis | ||
| Financial Secretary | J. H. Smith | ||
| Official | Commissioner of Labour | B.C. Wilmot | |
| Commissioner of Lands and Surveys | J.B. Twomney | ||
| Director of Agriculture | F.M. Spenser | ||
| Director of Education | A.G.H. House | ||
| Director of Medical Services | J.D. Macgregor | ||
| Director of Public Works | W.A. Wood | ||
| Source: Solomons Encyclopaedia | |||
The newly elected Council met for the first time on 15 July. Gordon Siama was appointed chair of the Communications and Works committee, Willie Betu became chair of the Education and Social Welfare committee, Tom Russell (Financial Secretary) became chair of the Finance committee, Roy Davies was appointed chair of the Health and Internal Affairs committee, and David Kausimae became chair of the Natural Resources committee.[6]
Joseph Bryan, who lost by 20 votes in East Guadalcanal, lodged a petition against the election results, claiming that the votes cast at two polling stations had been rejected as they contained markings that could identify the voter.[6] The High Court heard the petition on 10 August; with the Returning Officer and winning candidate Leone Laku failing to lodge objections, the court annulled the result and ordered a by-election to be held.[7] The by-election took place on 10 October, with Bryan winning with 977 votes; Laku finished second with 362.[8]
In 1971 Silas Sitai was appointed 'shadow chairman', becoming the first Speaker of the legislature.[9]