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 |
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]
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]