OBITUARY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 4 December 1924, Page 6

OBITUARY

COLONEL R, J. COLLINS. DISTINGUISHED OFFICIAL. CAREER, The death took place on Monday (briefly reported on Tuesday) at his residence, Park Terrace, Wellington, ot Colonel Robert J. Collins, C.M.G-, 1.5.0., V.D., A.D.C-j at the age of 76 years, after a lingering illness. Colonel Collins was born at Cavan, in County Cavan, Ireland, in 1848, and was the son of Captain Robert Collins, late H.M. 57th regiment, and Mary, daughter of James Gilligan, of Dublin. He married the daughter of Richard Coek, of New Plymouth, who is left to mourn his loss. He was educated ih Ireland, India and New Zealand. He entered the Government service on July 1, 1865, as clerk in the Militia Office of New Plymouth. Five yeais later he was appointed chief inspector of stores in the Public Works Department, and was transferred to the Treasury in 1890, and was subsequently appointed secretary of the Civil Service Officers’ Guarantee Board and dejilityregistrar of New Zealand Cdnsols, in addition to his other duties -at the Treasury. In 1903 he was appoihted assistant-secretary to the Treasury, and on November 2, 1906, secretary to the Treasury, Paymaster-General, Re-ceiver-General, and Registrar of New Zealand Consols. On February 2, 1910, lie was appointed Controller and Audi-tor-General by the, Governor, in the name and oil behalf Of His Majesty the King, removable only by Parliament. He held that post until his retirement on December 31,. 1921. A State Department officer who had known him for 40 years said of Colonel Collins: ‘ ‘He was a man who, from the commencement of his career in the Public Service, devoted himself entirely to what he conceived to be his duty. He had a remarkable memory for past events, and the history of Government affairs. It was suggested some time ago that a history of pur times, written by Colonel Collins, would be a very reliable and valuable work. While of the most generous and sympathetic disposition, yet he was a rigid disciplinarian, who. obtained results more from moral suasion and the force of a,n excellent example than mere compulsion. It was always sufficient punishment for a subordinate officer to know that he had ‘let the Colonel down.’ ” He served as a member of the following Government Boards of Administration from; 1893 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 was chairman. He was appointed to the Commission of the Peace in 1904. His military service commenced with enlistment at 15 years of age in the Taranaki Volunteer Militia at New Plymouth in 1863, during the Maori War. After undergoing recruit drill and being posted for duty, h e 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 command of the Ist Battalion Wellington Rifles in 1899. For services rendered in connection with enrolment of contingents raised for th© South African War he was gazetted lieutenant-colonel. He was appointed in 1896 to the first Council of Defence as finance member, resigning on his appointment as Auditor-General. He was promoted colonel on the- active list, consequent on his appointment to the Council of Defence, after 35 years’ active work m connection with the Defence Forces. Hi 1911 he was appointed honorary A.D.C. to the Governor. He was a trustee of the Wellington Volunteer Drill Shed for 17 years, and member or the Central Board for military examinations for 10 years. For over half a century Colonel Colactively associated with the Rule Club movement. He won the iaranaki chamuionship jn 1874 and 1875. He held for many "Zv* the position of president of the Wellington Rifle Association, and was Commandant of the New Zealand rifle team at the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. In 1904 he was appointed chief executive officer of the Dominion Rifle Association, and in the same year was commandant of the New tioaland rifle team sent to BLslev, England, which won the Kolapore Cup. He leceived the Colonial Medal for long and efficient service in 1893; the Impel ud Volunteer Medal for long serin 1900; the Imperial Volunteer Officers Decoration (Y.D.) in 1902; the Imperial Service Order in 1909; and was created Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George by the King in 1913, on the occasion .of his coronation. Colonel Collins leaves a widow, three sons and one daughter, a daughter hav. Tiig piedeceased him. The sons are Messrs Robert Walter Collins Lands and Survey Department, Wellington; Reginald Vincent Collins, Messrs H \\. Brown and Co., Wellington; Cvril George Collins, Audit Inspector, -A uck. land; and Evelyn, wife of Major T. J. King Director of Ordnance, Defence Department.