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Albert Royle Henry (1907 - 1981) was the former first Premier of the Cook Islands and a colorful and charismatic figure in Cook Islands politics for many years. Image File history File links Wikitext. ... Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... is the 216th day of the year (217th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Elizabeth II in an official portrait as Queen of Canada (on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002, wearing the Sovereigns badges of the Order of Canada and the Order of Military Merit) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) (born 21 April 1926), styled HM The... Thomas Davis (born January 11, 1959), American School Teacher and Independent Composer An aspiring jazz composer from the idyllic Finger Lakes region in upstate New York, Tom Davis teaches music at a public high school while tending to a family of four. ... Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... A premier is an executive official of government. ...

Henry was a pioneer in Cook Islands politics, and a driving force behind Cook Islands self-government, which it obtained on 4 August 1965, Henry founded the Cook Islands Party after returning from living in New Zealand for 22 years from 1942 - 1964. Shortly after his return he was elected Premier in 1965 in the first national elections, and then re-elected consistently in 1971, 1974 and again controversially in March 1978. is the 216th day of the year (217th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... The Cook Islands Party is a political party in the Cook Islands. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ...

Upon becoming elected Premier, the New Zealand government offered the Cook Islands three options concerning independence and/or self rule. They were (a) complete independence (b) assimilation with New Zealand (3) or moves towards an eventual Polynesian Federation with a degree of self-rule with associated New Zealand nationality. The third option was chosen by the people of the Cook Islands who to this day are also New Zealand citizens.

Henry was a prime mover in the push for self-rule and did much to unify the Cook Islands and to promote its cause of independence. He was a charismatic orator in both Maori and in English.

In 1973 Henry introduced a new national flag for the Cook Islands, being green in colour (as the colour of life and everlasting growth) with fifteen stars (in the culture of the Cook Islands the stars represent faith in God and fifteen represents the number of islands) in yellow (yellow represents the people, their friendliness, their hope, faith, dedication, love, and happiness) in a circle symbolizing the unity of the fifteen islands and the union between the land and the people.

Sir Albert Henry's achievements include enlarging Rarotonga's airport (Queen Elizabeth II was on hand for the grand opening) , building the Rarotongan Resort (now The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa) and helping to turn the Cook Islands into a significant international tourist destination. Elizabeth II in an official portrait as Queen of Canada (on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002, wearing the Sovereigns badges of the Order of Canada and the Order of Military Merit) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) (born 21 April 1926), styled HM The...

For his achievements, Henry was knighted in 1974 by Queen Elizabeth II, shortly after the opening of Rarotonga International Airport. Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... Rarotonga International Airport - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

Sports

In 1924 the legendary New Zealand All Blacks Team , the 'Invincibles' of Cliff Porter (Captain) - George Nepia (Full-back) and others, called at Rarotonga en-route to tour the UK and France. Wanting a local team to train against, Albert Henry, 17 years old and just returned from NZ, was asked to get some boys together. A scratch team was put together and the game was played on the Takamoa Grounds. The score was Rarotonga 0 and the All Blacks 0 Albert Henry was very active in forming Rugby Clubs, first with Tupapa, later with Arorangi where he was a teacher, and when he married Elizabeth Connal who was then living in Ruatonga, Elizabeth said to him, Albert you must now play for, and help OUR club- "Avatiu-Ruatonga". First international  Australia 3 - 22 New Zealand  (15 August 1903) Largest win  New Zealand 145 - 17 Japan  (4 June 1995) Worst defeat  Australia 28 - 7 New Zealand  (28 August 1999) World Cup Appearances 5 (First in 1987) Best result Champions, 1987 This article is about the Rugby Union team. ... Scottish-born Clifford Glen Porter (5 May 1899 in Edinburgh – 12 November 1976 in Wellington) was a New Zealand rugby union player. ... George Nepia (1905/1908? - 1986) was a famous Maori rugby and rugby league player. ... Rarotonga Island from space, September 1994 View of a Rarotongan beach. ... First international  Australia 3 - 22 New Zealand  (15 August 1903) Largest win  New Zealand 145 - 17 Japan  (4 June 1995) Worst defeat  Australia 28 - 7 New Zealand  (28 August 1999) World Cup Appearances 5 (First in 1987) Best result Champions, 1987 This article is about the Rugby Union team. ...

Scandal

In 1978 Henry was found guilty of electoral fraud and his knighthood revoked.^[1] During the 1978 elections, Henry had become embroiled in a massive scandal involving overseas voters (the Cook Islands Party flew hundreds of supporters back to the Cook Islands in exchange for a vote in the election, bankrolling the tickets with revenue from the sale of postage stamps by the Cook Islands Philatelic Bureau). After the fraud was discovered, the 1978 election was handed to the opposition party, the Cook Islands Democratic Party, and Sir Albert was stripped of his knighthood. Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Elections Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Electoral fraud is illegal interference with the process of an election. ...

Over the past few years, their have been discussions in the Cook Island Cabinet of introducing legislation to pardon Sir Albert Henry.

Criminal Convictions

On 16 August 1979, Albert Henry pleaded guilty at Rarotonga, Cook Islands, to a number of criminal charges relating to the fraudulent misuse of Cook Islands Government money totaling more than $355,000.00.

Death

Henry died soon after the scandals, in 1981 his health having taken a turn for the worth since the electoral scandal that had cost him his job , his knighthood , and much of his reputation. Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ...

When Henry died in 1981, his body was taken around Rarotonga on the back of a pickup truck, and the road was lined with mourners. The entire island had turned out to pay their respects to their former leader.

His grave can be found at Avarua CICC Church: there is a bust of him on his gravestone.

Notes