British Western Pacific Territories

The Western Pacific High Commission, (English: British Western Pacific Territories, German also: British Western Pacific Territories, also used for " High Commission for the Western Pacific ," " High Commissioner for the Western Pacific ," German for " Westpazifisches upper Commissariat " " high Commissioner for the Western Pacific " and other variants ), was the name of an existing from 1877 to 1976, the British administration unit for British colonies and protectorates. She was primarily responsible for the jurisdiction.

Legal bases

The Pacific Islanders Protection Act of August 2, 1875 allowed the British Queen Victoria to create the office of the High Commissioner for the Pacific Territories. This Act complements the previous 27 June 1872 which also contains no constitutionally significant rules so that the territory of the Western Pacific by Order in Council ( Jurisdiction) appointed by August 13, 1877 the first commissioner, Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon himself is not an administrative unit. Further provisions relating to overseas administration by the British Colonial Office mainly concern the jurisdiction. Locally in the various island groups other administrative officials were appointed to carry out such the Standing Commissioner (Resident Commissioner) of the colony of the Gilbert and Elliceinseln, which in turn were represented in the individual counties by district administrators ( District Officer ).

The office was connected in a personal union with the governor for one of the administrative area constituent colonies, first for Fiji, then for the Solomon Islands. Changes occurred in 1925 by the annexation of the Union Islands to New Zealand, and in 1952 by the subordination of the colony of Pitcairn and the Protectorate of Tonga to Fiji. 1953 Fiji was carved out of the territory of the High Commission and managed by its own governor. As a result, the administrative center was moved to Honiara in the Solomon Islands, the High Commissioner in personal union took over the post of governor of the Solomon Islands.

During the independence aspirations of Pacific peoples of the British Commonwealth after the Second World War was on January 2, 1976 abolished the office and the administrative unit, as almost all island groups had achieved independence.

Island and island groups

• Cook Islands (1893-1971) - now independent in free association with New Zealand.
• Fiji (1887-1952) - now independent.
• Gilbert and Elliceinseln (1916-1971) - now independent states of Kiribati and Tuvalu.
• Nauru (1914-1921) - now independent.
• New Hebrides (1906-1971) - now independent as Vanuatu

• United Kingdom Savage Iceland (1900-1901) - now independent as Niue in free association with New Zealand.
• Pitcairn Islands (1898-1952) - now British Overseas Territory.
• Solomon Islands (1893-1971) - now independent.
• Tonga (1900-1952) - now independent.
• United Kingdom Union Islands (1877-1926) - Now Tokelau, dependent territory of New Zealand.

List of High Commissioners for the Western Pacific (1877-1976)

High Commissioners for the Western Pacific and Governors of Fiji (1877-1952)

Administrative headquarters Suva, Fiji:

• Arthur Hamilton Gordon, 1877 - January 1880
• George William Des Vœux, January 1880 - January 1887
• Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell, January 1887 - February 1888
• John Bates Thurston, February 1888-7. February 1897
• George Thomas Michael O'Brien, March 1897-1901
• William Lamond Allardyce, 1901-10. September 1902, officiating
• Henry Moore Jackson, September 10, 1902-11. October 1904
• Everard Ferdinand in Thurn, October 11, 1904-21. February 1911
• Francis Henry May, February 21, 1911-25. July 1912
• Ernest Bickham Sweet- Escott, July 25, 1912-10. October 1918
• Cecil Hunter Rodwell, October 10, 1918-25. April 1925
• Eyre Hutson, April 25th 1925-22. November 1929
• Arthur George Murchison Fletcher, November 22, 1929-28. November 1936
• Arthur Frederick Richards, November 28, 1936-16. September 1938
• Harry Charles Luke, September 16, 1938 to 1942

• Alexander William George Herder Grantham, 1945-1946
• Leslie Brian Freeston, January 20, 1948-3. July 1952

High Commissioners for the Western Pacific and the Governors of the Solomon Islands (1952-1976)

Administrative headquarters in Honiara, Solomon Islands:

• Robert Christopher Stafford Stanley, July 3 1952 to 1952
• Henry Graham Gregory -Smith, 1952-1955
• John Gutch, 1955-4. March 1961
• David Trench, March 4 1961-16. June 1964
• Robert Sidney Foster, June 16, 1964-6. March 1969
• Michael David Irving Gass, March 6, 1969 July 1971

• Donald Collin Cumyn Luddington, 1973-2. January 1976