Tribute to Sir Gaven Donne

Sir Gaven John Donne KBE, was the First Queens Representative to the Cook Islands from 1982 - 1984. ( I was Official Secretary to the QR) He was Chief Justice of the Cook Islands before taking the Office of QR. Instrumental in the judicial development of the justice system and the political development and evolution of the Constitutional Government of the Cook Islands.
He became prominent in the Court decision of 1978 which saw the overturn of the government of Sir Albert Henry regarding the flying voters. In 1983 he took over the reins of Government for 2 weeks (P.S.... John Scott was Secretary of PM Dept we worked together during this time) after Parliament failed to form a Government after the elections. He then dissolved Parliament and appointed Sir Geoffrey Henry as Caretaker Prime Minister and called new election for November 1983.
(The court case against Sir Albert was not deliberated by Sir Gaven. It was the late Sir David Beattie who presided over the case. He was the one who convicted Sir Albert and not Sir Gaven as some may imply.)
When he left the Cooks in 1984 we have kept in contact with each other and i have often visited him at his home in Otaramarae, Lake Rotoiti, Rotorua. Our last get together was in October last year.
He is survived by his 4 children and grand children. Lady Donne having passed away 5 years ago - Maine Brown

Herald Issue 463 10 June
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