Benjamin Robbins
New Zealand politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Benjamin Conrad "Cockie" Robbins (1857 – 20 January 1953) was a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council from 9 March 1936 to 8 March 1943; and 9 March 1943 to 8 March 1950.[1]
Benjamin Conrad Robbins | |
|---|---|
| |
| 14th Mayor of Tauranga | |
| In office 6 May 1912 – 5 May 1915 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Jordan |
| Succeeded by | Charles Macmillan |
| In office 9 May 1929 – 11 May 1933 | |
| Preceded by | Bradshaw Dive |
| Succeeded by | Alfred Francis Daly Tunks |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1857 |
| Died | 20 January 1953 (aged 95–96) |
| Resting place | Presbyterian Cemetery, Tauranga |
| Party | Liberal |
Robbins was born in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, son of Capt. B. Robbins, and educated at the Yarmouth Academy.[2] He arrived in Wellington in 1874, and was a storekeeper in Hāwera from 1881. In Hāwera he organised a local dairy factory and the National Dairy Association. He was on various local boards; Fire Board (3 years), Hospital Board (chairman 1906–09), and the Wanganui Education Board 1897–1906.[3] His first public service was as a member of the school committee in Hāwera for a good decade, where he was chairman for most of that time.[4] He was a member of the Hawera Borough Council for fifteen years and Mayor of Hawera for seven years.[5] Robbins stood in the 1893 election in the Egmont electorate and came second of three candidates.[6] He contested the Hawera electorate in the 1896 and 1905 elections. He came a close second in 1896,[7] and came third in 1905.[8]
Robbins moved to Tauranga in 1911, and was Mayor of Tauranga twice, from 1912 to 1915 and 1929 to 1933.[5] He retired from the mayoralty in 1915 and did not contest the election, which was won by Charles Macmillan over John Cuthbert Adams.[9]
Robbins stood against the incumbent, William Herries of the Reform Party, in the 1919 election in the Tauranga electorate and was beaten with a margin of over 30% of the vote.[10] He initially declared himself an Independent Progressive Liberal but received the endorsement of Joseph Ward and was the official candidate of the Liberal Party.[11]
He was appointed to the Legislative Council by the First Labour Government. He died in January 1953 aged 96 and is buried at the Presbyterian Cemetery on 18th Avenue in Tauranga.[12]
He married in 1877 Jane Anne Ross (died 6 March 1950).[3]