1958 Cook Islands general election


General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 13 October 1958, the first under universal suffrage.

Background

Following the recommendations of the 1955 Belshaw-Stace Report, the 23-member Legislative Council was replaced by a 27-member Legislative Assembly.
Of the 27 members, 15 were directly elected; 14 from ten general constituencies and one from a European voter constituency. Seven members were indirectly elected by Island Councils. The remaining five members were officials, including the Resident Commissioner as President of the Assembly, the Administration Secretary, the Treasurer and two members appointed by the Resident Commissioner.

Campaign

A total of 65 candidates contested the directly-elected seats, including former Legislative Council member Willie Watson, who ran under the name Viri Vokotini in one of the general constituencies.
Frank Bateson and former Chief Judge Alfred McCarthy contested the European seat.

Results