Tualaulelei Mauri (12 June 1903 – 8 September 1961) was a Western Samoan chief and politician. He served as a member of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly between 1943 and 1961, and as Minister of Lands and Minister of Agriculture between 1956 and 1961.
Biography Mauri was born on 12 June 1903.Lauofo Meti (2002) Samoa: The Making of the Constitution, National University of Samoa, p325 Originally from the villages of Siumu and Vaito'omuli, he attended the Marist Brothers schools in Apia and Suva in Fiji.Morgan A. Tuimaleali'ifano (1990) Samoans in Fiji: migration, identity and communication, p114Western Samoa Delegation: Biographical Details of Delegates Second South Pacific Commission He subsequently worked in the civil service for eleven years in the departments of Post and Telegraphs, Public Works and the Secretariat. He also spent 15 year working in the private sector. In 1938 he was made a chief.
In 1943 Mauri was appointed to the Legislative Council by Administrator Alfred Turnbull,Meti, p22 and was reappointed following the 1944 elections. In the 1948 elections to the new Legislative Assembly, he was elected in the Palauli constituency.Meti, p28 He was re-elected in 1951, and in In 1953, was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. He was re-elected again in 1954. Having previously served on the Executive Council, when a Member System was introduced in 1956, he became Member for Lands.Lauofo Meti (2002) Samoa: The Making of the Constitution, p39
The Legislative Assembly was expended prior to the 1957 elections and Mauri was re-elected in Palauli East. Following the elections, full ministerial government was introduced and Mauri was appointed Minister of Lands.New Assembly Sworn In Pacific Islands Monthly, January 1958, p99 In February 1959 he was convicted in the High Court of assault and had to give up his seat and ministerial position. However, in the subsequent by-election he was returned unopposed.Former Minister Re-Elected Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1959, p61 When the office of Prime Minister was created later in the year, he was one of three candidates for the post, but was defeated by Fiame Mata'afa.Asofou Soʻo (2008) Democracy and Custom in Sāmoa: An Uneasy Alliance p72 He was appointed Minister for Agriculture, Avele College and Marketing Division in Mata'afa's new government.Meti, p48Penelope Schoeffel Meleisea (1987) Lagaga: A Short History of Western Samoa pp183–185
In the 1961 elections he lost to Afoafouvale Misimoa in the Palauli East constituency by 46 votes to 42.Results of Samoan Elections in Dispute Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1961, pp118–119 He submitted a petition to the high court to have the result overturned, claiming that a death oath had been placed on voters by a local chief if Misimoa was not elected.Death Oaths and Black Magic Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1961, pp130–131 However, his case was dismissed due to contradictory evidence.
Mauri died at his home in Apia on 8 September 1961.Tualaulelei Mauri Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1961, p71
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