Julian Dashwood

Robert Julian Dashwood (1899 – 5 September 1970) was a British-born Cook Islands author and politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly between 1963 and 1966 and served in the territory's first two cabinets.

Julian Dashwood
Minister for Public Works and Survey
In office
–1966
Succeeded byAlbert Henry
Minister of Police and Social Development
In office
1965–
Succeeded byTiakana Numanga
Member for Broadcasting, Health, Justice, Police, Prisons and Social Development
In office
1963–1964
Succeeded byNgatupuna Matepi[1]
Member of the Legislative Assembly
In office
1963–1966
Preceded byTerii Taripo
Succeeded byTupui Henry
ConstituencyMauke
Personal details
Born1899
United Kingdom
Died5 September 1970
Mauke, Cook Islands

Biography

Dashwood was born in England in 1899,[2] the son of a vicar.[3] During World War I he served in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.[4] Following the war, a varied career saw him become a teacher in England, a farmer in Transvaal and a rubber plantation owner in Malaya.[4] He also worked as a car salesman and shell dealer.[5][6]

He relocated to the Cook Islands in 1929, where he became manager of a shop owned by A.B. Donald & Co.[5] Initially settling in Rakahanga, he later moved to Mauke,[3] where he married a local woman named Kopu.[7][8] He began writing under the pen name Julian Hillas (his mothers' maiden name),[5][3] publishing books including I Know an Island and Today is Forever (republished as South Seas Paradise),[6] as well as having several articles printed in Pacific Islands Monthly.[4]

Dashwood was elected to Legislative Assembly from the Mauke constituency in a 1963 by-election.[7][9] In November 1963 the Executive Committee was revamped, with members given specific portfolios. Leader of Government Business Dick Charles Brown appointed Dashwood as the Member for Broadcasting, Health, Justice, Police, Prisons and Social Development.[10] However, he was sacked in August 1964 after refusing to resign,[1] due to suspicions that he supported Brown's rival Albert Henry.[9]

Dashwood subsequently joined Henry's Cook Islands Party, and was re-elected to the Legislative Assembly in the 1965 elections. He was then reappointed to the Executive Committee in May.[11] In August a new cabinet was formed, with Dashwood appointed Minister of Police and Social Development and Associate Minister for the Post Office, Hotel and Printing Office.[12] Soon afterwards he swapped portfolios with Tiakana Numanga, becoming Minister for Public Works and Survey.[7] However, he resigned from the cabinet in May 1966,[13] and the following month was convicted of corruptly attempting to obtain a bribe whilst a Minister of the Crown. As a result, he lost his seat in the Legislative Assembly.[14]

He died at his home on Mauke in September 1970.[4]

References
  1. Cook Is. Minister Fired–But No One Quite Knows Why Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1964, p35
  2. Collection MS 519 - White natives' (a novel) Pacific Manuscripts Bureau
  3. Graeme Lay (2004) The Miss Tutti Frutti Contest: Travel Tales of the South Pacific, p26
  4. Mr. Robert Julian Dashwood Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1970, p139
  5. They've Been Too Long In The Bush Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1963, p13
  6. Tropicalities Pacific Islands Monthly, January 1964, p15
  7. David J. Stone Self rule in the Cook Islands: The government and politics of a new micro-state
  8. Mauke - East of Eden The Cook Islands
  9. The Journal of the Polynesian Society 1970, p130
  10. Talks Soon On Political Future Of The Cooks Pacific Islands Monthly, January 1964, p35
  11. Independents Walk Out Of Cook Islands Assembly Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1965, p31
  12. Era of Self-Government Begins In The Cook Islands Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1965, pp27–29
  13. Thomas R.A.H. Davis & R.G. Crocombe (1979) Cook Islands Politics: The Inside Story, p32
  14. Ex-minister seeks seat he lost in bribe case Pacific Islands Monthly, November 1966, p75
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