Great Britain. High Commission for Western Pacific Islands

Dates

• Existence: 1877 - 1978

Biography

The Western Pacific High Commission (WPHC) was established in 1877 by the Western Pacific Order in Council with the aim of better carrying out the provisions of the Pacific Islanders' Protection Acts, 1872 and 1875, and to provide a civil court for the settlement of disputes between British subjects living in the islands. The jurisdiction of the WPHC included all islands in the Western Pacific not within the limits of the Colonies of Fiji, Queensland, New South Wales, or New Zealand, or within the jurisdictions of any formal European government.

In 1893 a further Order in Council defined the High Commissioner’s executive and legislative powers and extended their jurisdiction to include foreigners and, in most cases, indigenous residents of British settlements or protectorates within the limits of the Order. By 1907 the High Commissioner’s responsibilities included the Solomon Islands, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands (Kiribati and Tuvalu), Tonga, Pitcairn, and the New Hebrides (Vanuatu) including the Banks and Torres Islands. Initially the role of the WPHC was to control the more unruly and illegal activities of European traders and settlers, especially the traffic of indentured labour, over time however it came to manage most colonial administrative functions in the region including health, taxation, communications, land policy, and public works.

For the first 75 years of its existence, the WPHC was based in Suva, Fiji, where the posts of Western Pacific High Commissioner and Governor of Fiji were held conjointly. In 1952, the two roles were separated and in January 1953 the WPHC headquarters was moved from Suva to Honiara. Here the High Commissioner took over direct administration of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate in addition to their other duties.

The responsibilities of the WPHC declined as the island nations within its jurisdiction achieved independence and in July 1978 the Commission and post of Western Pacific High Commissioner was abolished.

Found in 124 Collections and/or Records: