OBITUARY.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1920, Page 6

OBITUARY.

COLONEL PORTER. Wellington, Nov. 12. A prominent figure in connection with New Zealand'* early history has been removed by the death early fcliia morning of Colonel T. W. Porter. Only last night Parliament passed in the final Bill of the session a clause granting Colonel Porter a permanent pension of £2OO a year in recognition of his services to the Dominion. He was a midshipman in the Navy in 1857, and fought in China the following year. He was attached to the 70th Regiment in New Zealand in ISGO, and fought all through the subsequent Maori wars, chiefly on the East Coast. One of his achievements was the capture of Kereorpa Kaiwhatu, the murderer of the Rev. Mr. Volkner. for which feat he received €IOOO reward. Incidentally, he was wounded four times The war over, lie was employed ijy the Government in native land transactions. Ho was four times Mayor of fiisbornc He commanded the 7th New Zealand Contingent in the Boer War. where he was awarded the Queen's Modal and four clasps. He was for some time TTnder- - Secretary for Defence, When the great war broke out he was the chief factor in promoting the National Reserve. in which capacity he did empire service. His widow, who resides in Wellington, is prominently associated with the Women's National Reserve.

MR. ROBERT TRIGGS. Mr. Robert Triggs. Public Trustee, who died suddenly after nil operation from which it scorned at first he was making a good recovery, was one of New Zealand's most distinctive public servants. He was Temarkablv skilled in accountancy. lie rapidly progressed in the Now Zealand railway service, which he joined in 1R77. He transferred to an official position in Western Australia in lflOO, and ten years later became chief accountant in the Postmaster-General's department of the Australian Commonwealth. His reputation as an organiser became wellknown. and on the institution of the system of commissioner control in the New Zealand Public Service in 1013 lie became Assistant Commissioner, ami was ehicfly responsible for the rapid introduction of labor-saving devices throughout the Government Departments. Tlionph strictly systematic he broke through much red tape method in the public service, and was once spoken of as a possible manager of the New Zealand railways He took charge of the enormous business involved in the Imperial purchase of New Zealand products during the war. completing this work down to the distribution of wool profits with the -thoroughness which characterised bis methods. He acted as Government representative on the Over=ea Shipowners' Commit tee, which works in conjunction with the London and Australian Shipping Committees, in 1(115. During the period of shortage of flour and wheat Mr. Triggs carried out ■the negotiations in connection with the supply and delivery of quantities of wheat which were purchased both from the New SOIIIII Wales Government and also from the Dominion of Canada. Several other maltcrs have received Mr. Triggs' attention in conneelion with the l>nttcr-fat scheme. Mr. Triggs was appointed by the Government as the licensing authority under the equalisation scheme, and he supervised the collection of the whole of the levy He also assumed complete control of all shipping and tinancial operations in connection with the requisitioning of wool for Ihe Imperial Government, together with all the transactions connected with the purchase of sheepskins, fellnioiigerv, and disposition of wool arising therefrom: also the admini-tralion of lie purchase of slipe wool and hides on behalf of the Imperial Government. Hi- linal work ■vas the re-organisation of the Public Trust, Ollice on the principle of decentralisation. It has already had good results in popularising this Department and extending its business.