Tiny Atoll Says No to Independence
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From Times Wire Reports
Islanders in the tiny New Zealand-run territory of Tokelau voted down a plan for self-government, the United Nations said.
About 60% of the voters approved the proposal, short of the two-thirds needed in the three atolls of Tokelau, which have a population of 1,500.
Originally settled by Polynesians from surrounding islands, Tokelau was seized by Britain in 1889 and transferred to New Zealand in 1925.
Tokelau’s lack of resources makes it dependent on about $4 million in annual aid from New Zealand for public services.
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