Colin Allan

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Sir Colin Hamilton Allan KCMG OBE (born October 23, 1921 in New Zealand ; † March 5, 1993 ) was a British colonial administrator who was governor of the Seychelles between 1973 and 1976 and governor of the Solomon Islands from 1976 to 1978 .

Life

World War II and Colonial Officer in the Solomon Islands

After attending Hamilton High School in the Melbourne district of Canterbury, Allan studied at Canterbury University College and the University of Cambridge . During the Second World War he completed his military service between 1942 and 1944 and entered the administration of the Protectorate of the Solomon Islands ( British Solomon Islands Protectorate ) as a candidate ( cadet ) in 1945 and became an administrative officer after completing his training in 1949 . The activities of the first native movements in the island territories in the South Pacific, such as on the island of Malaita belonging to the Solomon Islands, began at this time . This so-called march movement ( Maasina Ruru ), founded in 1945 by Jonathan Fiifii'i and Aliki Nono'oohimae, was partly religious, partly anti-colonial , but partly aimed at demanding the prosperity promised by the US armed forces for all. The supporters of this movement on Malaita refused to allow the British protectorate to take part in a census, to work and to pay taxes and were hostile to this.

After Mailaita was shaped by the Maasina Ruru for more than six years , he became district commissioner of Malaita in 1952. As such, he set up the first Island Council in 1954, which resulted in the influence of the marching movement diminishing, which ultimately helped to reduce tensions between the locals and the British protectorate administration.

Resident Commissioner in the New Hebrides, Governor of the Seychelles and Solomon Islands

After serving as commissioner for lands at the West Pacific High Commission from 1956 to 1958, Allan, who was awarded the Officer's Cross of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) on January 1, 1959 , became resident in the British- French New Hebrides condominium in 1958 offset. He acted between 1966 and 1973 as the head of this Residentur ( Resident Commissioner ) with official seat on the island of Iririki in the bay of the capital Port Vila . This colonial administration, which existed between 1906 and 1980, was ineffective due to its structure, as it consisted of three sub-administrations, a British administration for British nationals, a French administration for French nationals and a condominium administration consisting of these two, which required the consent of the other administration . This made efficient administration more difficult, since both powers wanted to transfer the legal, judicial, educational and health systems existing in their respective mother country. The equality of the two administrations was also reflected in the fact that the residence of the French prefect on the island of Efate was built at the same height above sea level, the flagpoles were the same height and both national flags were hoisted and lowered at the same time. In addition to the two administrations, the religious missionary activities contributed to an intense rivalry between Western ideals and the local people. In 1968 he was named Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG) for his services .

With effect from November 18, 1973, Allan took over the post of governor of the Crown Colony of the Seychelles from Bruce Greatbatch and remained there until the Seychelles became independent within the Commonwealth of Nations on June 29, 1976. In this function he was in personal union by virtue of the office of Supreme Commander Seychelles and Commissioner of the British Indian Ocean Territory ( British Indian Ocean Territory )

Then Allan became governor of the Solomon Islands with effect from September 21, 1976, successor to Donald Luddington . At this point in time, the islands received internal autonomy, before the Solomon Islands were also granted independence on July 7, 1978 and Baddeley Devesi became the Solomon Islands' first local governor-general . At the same time he served as the West Pacific High Commissioner for Western Pacific from 1976 to 1978 . On June 11, 1977 he was made Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George and thus had the suffix "Sir".

After his retirement, Allan worked as a lecturer and fellow at the Australian National University (ANU), the University of Auckland , the University of Otago and the University of New South Wales , during which time he focused in particular on political issues in the region South Pacific, where he was able to draw on his professional experience in Melanesia .

His marriage to Betty Evans in 1955 resulted in three sons.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ London Gazette  (Supplement). No. 41589, HMSO, London, January 1, 1959, p. 24 ( PDF , accessed July 1, 2016, English).
  2. ^ London Gazette  (Supplement). No. 44600, HMSO, London, June 8, 1968, p. 6302 ( PDF , accessed July 1, 2016, English).
  3. ↑ London Gazette . No. 46153, HMSO, London, December 14, 1976, p. 14904 ( PDF , accessed July 1, 2016, English).
  4. ↑ Governors of the Seychelles (rulers.org)
  5. ↑ London Gazette . No. 47059, HMSO, London, November 5, 1976, p. 14951 ( PDF , accessed July 1, 2016, English).
  6. ^ Governors of the Solomon Islands (rulers.org)
  7. ^ London Gazette  (Supplement). No. 47234, HMSO, London, June 11, 1977, p. 7083 ( PDF , accessed July 1, 2016, English).
personal data
SURNAME Allan, Colin
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Allan, Colin Hamilton (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British governor and colonial administrator
DATE OF BIRTH October 23, 1921
PLACE OF BIRTH New Zealand
DATE OF DEATH March 5, 1993