circle of 15 gold stars on a green ensign. In 1974 he hosted a royal visit from Elizabeth II, during which he was knighted. In September 1974 Henry suddenly declared that his government was planning a referendum on independence from New Zealand, and that he would call a snap-election to do so. The referendum never happened, as both the government and the opposition supported the status quo, and in the resulting 1974 election the Cook Islands party lost its two-thirds majority, though Henry retained power. During the campaign Henry once again threatened public servants who supported the opposition and threatened to become a dictator. Following the election he announced plans for a constitutional amendment to repatriate the functions of head of state (then performed by New Zealand's High Commissioner), but this was delayed due to his lack of the required two-thirds majority. In 1976 he suffered a heart attack while attending the South Pacific Forum in Rotorua, New Zealand, but said he had no plans to retire. In April 1977 he claimed in the New Zealand press that he had uncovered an opposition plot to overthrow the government by force and assassinate him. Later that year he personally supported Czech-born "cancer therapist" Milan Brych and allowed him to practice in the Cook Islands. 1978 election and downfall In January 1978 Henry called elections six months early in an effort to capitalise on a leadership struggle within the opposition Democratic Party. Prior to the elections, three prominent CIP members, William Estall, Raui Pokoati and Joe Williams, left the party. The 1978 election was fiercely contested, and due to restrictions on overseas voting, both parties flew in supporters from New Zealand to vote. The result was a victory for Henry, with the Cook Islands Party regaining its two-thirds majority, and opposition leader Tom Davis losing his seat. The result was challenged in the courts, and in July 1978 Chief Justice Gaven Donne found that Henry had corruptly used government money to fly in voters and secure a majority. The votes of CIP fly-in voters were annulled, resulting in Henry and seven other CIP MP's losing their seats and being replaced by the losing Democratic Party candidates. Henry was ousted from power and Davis was asked to form a government and was sworn in as Prime Minister. On 16 August 1979, Henry pleaded guilty to two charges of conspiracy and one charge of