LATE COLONEL R. J. COLLINS

Evening Star, Issue 18807, 4 December 1924, Page 5

LATE COLONEL R. J. COLLINS

DISTINGUISHED OFFICIAL CAREER. Colonel Robert J. Collins, C.M.G., 1.5.0., V.D., A.D.C., who died at Wellington this week at the ago of seventysix', was horn at- Cavan, in County Cavan, Ireland, in 1848, and was the son of Cap-1 tain Robert Collins, late H.M. 571 h Kegi-j niont, and Mary, daughter of Janies Milligan, of Dublin. Ho, married the daughter of Richard Cock, of New Plymouth, who is left to mourn her loss. He was educated in Ireland, India, and New Zea-, land. He entered the Government service on July 1, 1865. as clerk in the Militia Office i at New- Plymouth. Five years later he j was appointed chief inspector of stores; in the Public Works Department, and was; transferred to the Treasury, in charge of j the pay branch, in 1879. He was pro-1 moted accountant to the Treasury in 1090. i and was subsequently appointed secretary; of the Civil Service Oflicers’ Guarantee, Board and deputy-registrar of New Zealand Consols, in addition to his other duties at the Treasury. Tn 1903 he was, appointed assistant-secretary to the. Treasury, and on November 2. 1906, secie-j tarv to the. Treasury. Paymaster-General. Receiver-General, and Registrar ot New Zealand Consols. On February 2, 1930, he was appointed Controller and AuditorGenoral hv the Governor, in the name of and on behalf of His Majesty the King, removable only by Parliament. He held that post, until his retirement on Decern-' her 31, 1921. . I He served ns a member of the iotlow- | ing Government Boards of .Administration' from 1895 to 1918:—Public Service Superannuation Board, Classification Board, ■ Teachers’ Superannuation Board, -State Advances Board, Guarantee Board, Postal ; Appeal Board, Public Debt Extinction Board. Sinking Fund Commissioners, War Pensions Board, and War Loan Compulsion Appeal Board. Of many of them he w,ij chairman. Ho was appointed to the Commission of the Peacu in 1904. j His military service commenced with l enlistment at fifteen years ot ago in lliej Taranaki Volunteer Militia at New Ply-! month in 1855, during the Maori War. j After undergoing recruit, drill and being posted for duty, he was detailed as orderly-room clerk. Two years later he was appointed to the Permanent Militia Staff, and on his removal to Wellington ( served as a commissioned officer, assuming j command of the Ist Battalion Wellington' Rifles in 1899, For services rendered in j connection with enrolment of contingents, raised for the South African War, he was, gazetted lieutenant-colonel. He was ap- i pointed in 1896 to the first Council of; Defence as finance member, resigning on his appointment, as Auditor-General. He j was promoted colonel on the active list,! consequent on his appointment, to I lie Council of Defence, after thirty-five years’; active work in connection with the De-j fence Forces. In 1911 ho was appointed j honorarv A.D.C. to the Governor. Hoi was a trustee of the AVollington Volunteer Drill Shed for seventeen years, and member of the Central Board for military examinations for ten years. For over half u century. Colonel Collins was actively associated with the Rifle Chib, movement. He won the Taranaki chain-j pionship in 1874 and 1875. He Hold for many years the position of president of! the Wellington Rifle. Association, and was! Commandant of the New Zealand Rifle I Team at the inauguration of the Common- j wealth of Australia in 1901. In 1904 lie ■ was appointed Chief Executive Officer of, the Dominion Rifle Team sent to Bisley, j England, wliieh won the Kolapore Cup. He received the Colonial Medal for long and efficient service in 1893; the Imperial Volunteer Medal for long service in 1900; the Imperial Volunteer Officers’ Decora- j tion (V.D.) in 1902; the Imperial Ser-j vice Order in 1909; and was created Com- j panion of the Most Distinguished Order of j St. Michael and St. George by the King in 1913, on the occasion of his corona-- - tion. . ‘