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granted divorcing them from the control of the Bahamas; this provided for an elective Legislative Council and a President administering the Government. After a period of severe financial stringency, the Legislative Council in 1873 petitioned Her Majesty that the islands might be annexed to the Colony of Jamaica and from 1874 to July 1959 they were one of its dependencies.

An Order in Council of 1873, which annexed the islands to Jamaica, made provision for the constitution of a Legislative Board for the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Commissioner was ex-officio President of the Board, which had full legislative and budgetary powers, but ordinances required the assent of the Governor of Jamaica before becoming law. Laws passed by the Legislature of Jamaica did not apply to the Dependency unless they were made applicable in express terms.

On 20th February 1958 royal assent was given to the Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands Act, 1958, by which Her Majesty was empowered to make provision by Order-in-Council for the government of the Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands.

On 25th February 1966 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh in the course of the royal tour of the West Indies visited Grand Turk and South Caicos; this was the first occasion that a reigning monarch has visited the islands.

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The Turks and Caicos Islands (Constitution) Order in Council 1959, provided for a new constitution which was brought into operation on 4th July 1959. Under it the office of Governor of the Islands was constituted (the Governor of Jamaica was also Governor of the Islands) and the office of Commissioner replaced by the office of Administrator. The former Legislative Board was replaced by a Legislative Assembly consisting of the Administrator as President, two or three official members appointed by the Governor, two or three nominated non-official members appointed by the Governor and nine members elected on a constituency basis by universal adult suffrage; and an Executive Council was introduced consisting of the Administrator, two official members, one nominated member and two elected members (elected by the nominated and elected members of the Assembly from among the elected members of the Assembly).

On 6th August 1962, when Jamaica attained independence, the Islands became a Crown Colony and the post of Governor was abolished. A new Constitution then came into force, basically the same as that of 1959, but with the powers formerly exercised by the Governor to be exercised by the Administrator.

In 1964 talks were held between representatives of the Government of the United Kingdom, the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands concerning a closer association between the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. As a result of these talks the Turks and Caicos Islands (Constitution) Order in Council 1965 (which came into operation on 5th November 1965) provides that the Governor of the Bahamas shall be also Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The office of Administrator, Turks and Caicos Islands, remains in being. On 18th June 1969 a new Constitution came into force which provided for an Administrator and a State Council. The State Council consists of a Speaker, three official members, not less than two, nor more than three nominated members and nine elected members.

LAND POLICY

On Grand Turk and South Caicos Islands much of the land is privately owned, but Crown Land is also available. On the other islands the majority of land is owned by the Crown.

The purchase of private land, which is not controlled in any way, is subject to personal negotiation. A system of registration of land ownership after detailed survey together with the necessary legislation has been instituted. Land transactions are subject to a stamp duty and must be registered. Land adjudication for all the islands is nearing completion.

The present policy in respect of Crown Land is not to part with freehold title until an agreed amount of permanent improvement has taken place. Such land will therefore be issued on a conditional purchase lease in the first instance. The conditions are phased over a number of years, usually about five, except in the case of a very large scale development scheme when a longer period would be granted. In any case some progress must be shown within two years. The Government would bind itself to grant freehold title at the end of the period if the agreed development had taken place. If no development takes place within the stipulated period the land would revert automatically to the Crown.

An applicant for Crown Land should give, in some detail, his proposals for development, and the area or areas required, together with details of his financial backing. It is very necessary that all applicants for land or their agents should visit any site proposed before submitting detailed proposals as in some cases only enquiries made locally would reveal whether the site was suitable for development.

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PUSEY, Rev. J. H. Handbook of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Kingston, Colonial Publishing Company Ltd, 1897 (out of print).

TATEM, W. R. Report on the Hurricanes of 1926 and 1928. London, Waterlow, for the Commissioner of the Turks and Caicos Islands, 1928. Turks and Caicos Islands (Constitution) Order-in-Council, 1959. H.M.S.O., 1959 (Statutory) Instrument No. 864 of 1959.

Turks and Caicos Islands (Constitution) Order-in-Council, 1962. H.M.S.O., 1962 (Statutory Instrument No. 1649 of 1962).

Turks and Caicos Islands (Constitution) Order-in-Council, 1969, H.M.S.O. 1969 (Statutory Instrument No. 736 of 1969).

WESTERN

T

PACIFIC HIGH

COMMISSION

(Administrative headquarters: Honiara, British Solomon Islands)

HE office of High Commissioner for the Western Pacific was created by the Western Pacific Order in Council of 1877. The High Commissioner's jurisdiction extends over all islands in the Western Pacific not administered by Australia, New Zealand, Fiji or any other civilised power. By the Pacific Order in Council of 1893 the High Commissioner's jurisdiction is extended to foreigners and (in most cases) to natives residing in British settlements or protectorates within the limits of the Order. Under the New Hebrides Order in Council 1922, the High Commissioner's jurisdiction also extends to the New Hebrides and the Banks and Torres Islands. The expenses of the High Commission are met largely by the British Solomon Islands; but a contribution is paid from United Kingdom funds in respect of expenses of the British Service in the New Hebrides as well as by the Gilbert and Ellice Islands.

The High Court of the Western Pacific was constituted by the Western Pacific (Courts) Order in Council 1961. The Court has jurisdiction in the British Solomon Islands and the Gilbert and Ellice Islands and the Anglo-French Condominium of the New Hebrides. The Court is a superior court of record and has all the jurisdiction which is vested in the High Court of Justice in England subject to the provisions of the Order in Council. Appeals from the decisions of the Court are to the Fiji Court of Appeal.

The Court consists of a Chief Justice, one Puisne Judge and a Senior Magisstrate. The Chief Justice lives in the Solomon Islands, and there is a Puisne Judge in the New Hebrides and a Senior Magistrate in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands.

The groups at present under the High Commissioner are:

The British Solomon Islands.

The New Hebrides.

The Gilbert and Ellice Islands (including the Phoenix and Northern Line
Islands groups).

The Central and Southern Line Islands.

In 1953 the posts of High Commissioner for the Western Pacific and Governor of Fiji, which had been held conjointly for many years, were separated. The High Commissioner established his headquarters at Honiara and assumed the direct administration of the Protectorate.

CIVIL ESTABLISHMENT

HIGH COMMISSIONER: Sir Michael Gass, KCMG

SECRETARIAT

Chief Secretary: L. M. Davies, CMG, OBE
Financial Secretary: T. Russell, CBE

Secretary for Protectorate Affairs: R. Davies, OBE
Legal Adviser: D. R. Davis

Inspector-General, South Pacific Health Service: C. H. Gurd, CBE
(joint post with other British Pacific Administrations)

JUDICIARY

Chief Justice: Sir Jocelyn Bodilly, VRD

Puisne Judge: J. P. Trainor

Senior Magistrate: T. Van Rees

559

BRITISH SOLOMON ISLANDS

PROTECTORATE

The Solomon Islands were so named by the Spanish navigator Alvaro de Mendana following his discovery of the archipelago in 1568.

The Protectorate consists of a double row of mountainous islands-the South Solomons situated between the parallels of 5° and 12° 30′ S. and the meridians of 155° and 170° E., and includes the islands of Guadalcanal, Malaita, San Cristobal, New Georgia, Santa Isabel, Choiseul, Mono (or Treasury), Shortlands, Vella Lavella, Ranongga, Gizo, Rendova, Kolombangara, Russell, Florida, and numerous small islands. The total land area is approximately 11,500 square miles. The highest named mountain is Mount Popmanaseu (7,644 feet) on Guadalcanal. There are no navigable rivers.

The climate is equatorial with small seasonal variations defined by the trade winds. The south-east season lasts from April to November when the minimum temperatures are recorded. The highest mean and maximum temperatures and the highest rainfall are, as a rule, recorded in the north-west season from November to April. The mean annual temperature at the capital, Honiara (Guadalcanal) is about 80°F. Annual rainfall varies from 63 to 95 inches.

The first attempt at a comprehensive census was carried out in 1931 and resulted in an estimated total population figure of 91,409. Since then the enumeration of the population has been by sampling which in 1959 gave 117,620 Melanesians out of an estimated total population of 124,100. A growth rate of 1.5 to 2 per cent was predicted from 1959 to 1964, with a slightly higher rate thereafter. At the end of 1969, the total population was estimated at 152,000 made up of: Melanesians 141,500; Polynesians 5,500; Micronesians 2,040; Europeans 1,900; Chinese 700; others 360.

The largest concentration of population is in the capital, Honiara, and a census held in 1965 revealed that the town's population had risen to 6,684. The estimated population of Honiara at the end of 1969 was 9,000. Elsewhere population density varies greatly. The average figure for the Protectorate is 12.3 persons per square mile, but varies from 810 on Nupani to one on Vanikoro. A census Commissioner was formally appointed in September 1968 to prepare for a territory-wide census to be taken early in 1970.

The official language is English in which language all teaching in registered schools is compulsory, but each tribe has its own language and there are numerous dialects. A form of English consisting of an English derived vocabulary based on a typically Melanesian syntax and known as Pidgin is fairly widespread and in some sort serves as a lingua franca.

Primary education is largely in the hands of the churches. Government gives aid to scheduled schools in the form of salary subsidies, boarding and equipment grants. In 1969 there were 400 registered schools including 7 secondary schools with altogether 22,393 pupils. There are two teacher training colleges. In January 1969 the marine, agricultural, land survey and clerical schools became integrated with the new Honiara Technical Institute. Overseas scholarships were awarded to 110 students in 1969, for university, medical, higher technical and post-primary studies. 1969 was the second year of the implementation of the White Paper on Educational Development approved in 1967.

The principal endemic diseases are malaria and tuberculosis. The main Government medical institutions are the Central Hospital, Honiara (159 beds),

where a School of Nursing is maintained, three District Hospitals, (total 232 beds), two Rural Hospitals (72 beds) and a Leprosarium (88 patients). There are three hospitals (275 beds), including a Leprosarium, operated by the Churches, who also maintain several centres providing a medical service ranging from first-aid treatment to in-patient hospital care.

Following the completion of a malaria eradication pilot project in 1964, a combined Government/WHO pre-eradication programme commenced in January 1965 and continued until the end of 1969, when it is intended that a fullscale eradication campaign should be started. This was outlined in a Malaria Eradication White Paper approved by the Legislative Council in November 1968. At the end of 1969 the Central Tuberculosis Register recorded 1,650 cases, and the Central Leprosy Register 613 cases.

In 1969 the total labour force numbered 13,077. Principal occupations were: Government employment (3,895); agriculture, mainly copra production (2,325); forestry (928); construction industry (1,056); manufacturing (817) and commerce (628).

The main crop of the Solomon Islands is copra. Rice has become a major item of production. Small scale and to some extent experimental production of cocoa, sorghum and spices is carried out. The cattle population in 1968 was 10,000. After copra the main product is timber and there is a small local production of consumer goods such as biscuits and mineral waters. Other industries include the manufacture of plug, cake and twist tobacco, tyre retreading, the export of béches-de-mer and rattan furniture production.

Exports of copra and timber over the three-year period 1967-69 were:

Copra
Timber

1967
24,434

2,843,238

1968 20,500 4,438,313

1969
23,463 tons
7,335,169 cubic ft.

Copra is marketed through the B.S.I.P. Copra Board and timber by the companies holding licences. Small quantities of cocoa, marine shell, scrap metal, crocodile skins and gold are also exported.

The total value of exports in 1969 was $6,306,798; the value of imports was $8,543,654.

Two banks are in operation in the Solomons-the Commonwealth Banking Corporation of Australia and the Australia and New Zealand Bank Limited.

There are three main ports: Honiara, the principal port, Gizo and Yandina. Other ports are used exclusively for the export of copra and timber and there are numerous landings throughout the islands used by local vessels. Honiara has a deep water berth 235 feet long with a minimum depth of 29 feet alongside, capable of taking vessels up to 650 feet in length. In 1969, 118 overseas vessels discharged or loaded at the port. Yandina has a steel and concrete wharf with 176 feet of face and a minimum depth of 20 feet alongside. Gizo has a jetty with a depth alongside of 9 feet. Sheltered anchorage is available there in 16 fathoms.

Interisland sea transport is provided by private and Government vessels and at the end of 1969 a total of 157 vessels with a gross tonnage of 3,764 were under survey.

Overseas air services are provided twice weekly by Trans-Australia Airlines and

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