Stephen John Smith (1887 – 3 November 1948) was a New Zealand public administrator. He served as

Resident Commissioner of the Cook Islands The Resident Commissioner of the Cook Islands was the highest authority present in the Cook Islands between 1901 and 1965. The post was created on 11 June 1901 when New Zealand took over responsibility for the islands, replacing the British resid ...

from 1937 until 1938.

Biography

Born in 1887, Smith entered the New Zealand civil service as a young man. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

he was part of the New Zealand-led occupation of

Western Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabit ...

, where he rose to the position of secretary to the military governor. After returning to New Zealand, he was deputy head of the Department of External Affairs. Smith subsequently became Secretary of the Cook Islands Department in New Zealand in 1928.Resident Commissioner in Cook Is.
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', June 1937, p6 He was awarded the

King George V Silver Jubilee Medal The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the accession of King George V. Issue This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir by King George V to commemorate his Silver Ju ...

in 1935, and was appointed as Resident Commissioner of the Cook Islands in 1937. However, the following year he was replaced by his predecessor Hugh Fraser Ayson and returned to New Zealand. He retired from public service shortly afterwards."S.J.S." retires
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', October 1938, p4 He died in

Whanganui Whanganui, also spelt Wanganui, is a city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest navigable waterway. Whanganui is ...

in November 1948.Death of Mr. S. J. Smith
''

Pacific Islands Monthly ''Pacific Islands Monthly'', commonly referred to as "PIM", was a magazine founded in 1930 in Sydney by New Zealand born journalist R.W. Robson. Background ''Pacific Islands Monthly'' was started in Sydney in 1930. The first issue ran in August ...

'', December 1948, p22

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Stephen 1887 births New Zealand public servants Resident commissioners of the Cook Islands 1948 deaths