AN OFFICIAL HONOURED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 604, 4 September 1909, Page 3

AN OFFICIAL HONOURED.

COLONEL:COLLINS, C.1.5.0. —— ' AN ILLUMINATED ADDRESS Tho officers of the Treasury Department assembled Jestorday afternoon to present an illuminated address to Colonel R. J, Collins, Secretary to tho Treasurj, in endorsement of tho honour paid him by his Majesty tho King jn making him a Companion of tho Imperial Service Ordor. The Hon. James Carroll, Acting-Pnmo Minister, and Hon J A Millar, Acting-Minister for Finance, wore present. A Worthy Record. Mr R. B Vincent, accountant of the jTrcasui}, explained that there had been au. unavoidable delay in making tho presentation Aβi an indication of the spontaneous feeling throughout tho Department in the matter, ho instanced the case of a retired oflicer of ovei thirty jears , service who had. claimed Ins right to participate in tho proEontation, because, though no longer wording for tho Department, his Glial loa.\o of , abstneo had not oxpircd When Colonel lius was transferred to ■Wellington thirtythroo jears ago, tho Lead of his Depart- ' ment rocomn ended liini as "ono of the smartest officers m the service." Ho did not think that anyono at tho present time would venture a dilfereht i opinion. (Applause.) Co'onol Collins's aptitude, enorgy, and application to work were <i 'lrcasury historj, and formed a wortln example which wulc, bo followed with advantage bv all mombori of tho sorMiJn who aspired to tho higher positions He had bj bheor merit and onergy worked his waj up tho ladder of tho, sen ice until ho now stood on tho highest ' rung) and thej lioped that in joars to como' when onjoung a rest ho would' dome pleasure from their present tribute of lesppct, which he asked tho Acluig-Mimster ' of 'Financo to present Hon. i. A. Millar's Tribute. Tho Hon J A Millar said tliat ho had • great pleasure in making the- presentation. Ho regretted exceedingly that tho PnmoV Minister was not present, for ho could more oflectnel.v have gneii expression to tho feelings of tho ( Government When ono looked through tho record of Colonol Colhn« one could not wonder that ho had had this honour conferred on h;m Fortj-four jea"/ in tho public service was a very long record, and when one considered tho responsibility , Colonol Collins had held for mauj ycare/snd earned out groat advantago to'the. colon}, ho thought that he had fully cA'mod 1 {lie dlstracl.on—which .was not a local div tinction, winch was granted to but tuW/aud 1 which ho thought the recipient would prize more fhan anjthing clso that could bo given,, lum The companionship received bj\ColoneK 1 Oolhiis was a recognition from tho whole of tho pmpiro of tho value of services rendered' in an oullung portion of tho Empire. Whik tho address could not strengthen tho respect ho had for them all, it must be| pleasant to him as a recognition of tho fed- < ing tliat existed tow ards nun on tho part of' tlioso with whom ho'had been associated for , manj jears. Mr Millar then detailed Colonel Collins's progress through the soruce, stating that in both tho Civil Service and Defence ho had reached the highest positions, while his successful conduct of v nfla meetings had miulo a name for him ' throughout tho Dominion. As regards hie I fiuancnl office, he could say from nis own pareounl knouletlgo that a more energetic, I inoio ciroful officer, or a bettor adviser it I would bo impossible for an> Minister for I'minco to have lie had rendered valu* able ais-.stance to Colonial Ireasurers in tho • p"t, and the thought no ono would bo ffloro willing to acUiiotflease his Eorvicos ihnn Sir Joseph Ward > Colonel Collins's kindly spirit, strictness is a disciplinarian, and ooni stant justice were also touched on bj tho I lunded'himlho souvenir with . t cordialjwishes. _• " ' \' '' e ( ~.: „. The' Address. •'■■ i" i, -The following was the text of tho address, which v\as b,cauUfullj illuminated by Messrs. o W T Dock 'and Co ; rfnd bound m album '■ form — * ' k

'' ■'". :To Coldiiel:.teb'oi l tVJ. ,: 'C6lli'ns,"r,S.Oj., vV ■■' V:l);, ■. Secretary'.to the-Treasury, Pay- '.' :. .master, 1 and 4lreeivDr-GeiKJral.':,.■. ; ", :' ])car.'sif,—flii,, ; tlieV : ' occasion, if '-,-ha,"'.<■■ ; '■'/Majesty'- the - King" conferring upon-you ■ : : . v :;tlic Cqmp.injditship: of tlio . Imperial •. ... 'vice-Order,.for 'fnitliTuKand' meritorious • ■'service, ;WC,itlic'.officers;of;"tho.. Treasury, ~ .', ;, respectfully desiro to -tender our; hearty '. congratulations.';' ■■ • ' " : j //.-'J ,'•',:,' \'.. .' ; ;' '..\..: -In-<loiiu; so,■•'' wo' 'recognise:, the/faet that the' Order is one of Imperial p signi•'■■ncanceV. inaugurated' with, the; v\ew . of , •-■■_■■ ■.: specially'-'honouring •a- profession whose > : •' ■'ivprlc, • ■ tlipugli '■!. carried. , oii ■ .unosteritar :■' tiousi.Vj is nevertheless' of. the. greatest., -■-iniporta'nceV.to: .tho'.'Statc', and we -are '■ ■', ' : gratified .that.)your- long•and,-;efficient- : ' V. service- , of'44'years .has earned this' , high' ',-.. " ■-distinction,.. wliicli reflects so much 'credit','■■' : .. oii .t.his..J)cpartmcnt, nml. tho New Zea- > v,/ ','■ ;land Civil-.Service■ : '- V 7.»\;i '' - We- aisov" wish - : to express our. appre- .-;. '. '■ dati'drl. of th« courtesy ,which you.liave". , ,, '■': ■•' inVnmblyishown'-to'thoso'' whose- privi- •:..,..; .lego" it j has -'■ been ..to., sen-b . under you, ' . : , ..'Hiul'-wo', wouldr'.asli- j;ou~to accept ,tliie '. ' : .'so\iypnir; with:-our isihctro-' : ;; for ': ''<■, ;: your ; 'futuro\'i welfare.';.■.» .-■■•' ..„'...,... ■■' "-, : .;' ;',■'■' 'Wo;,ar6; dear.'sir," ':'■ y-' : ■'■-'..; " ; v ■ -;.- ■■'■r'W : ; : 'i- : -:';;" Yours -faithfully (here ■. ' j •■fbllow,l.tho'inames l uf lull tho;.dfficers. of,- , ' ■ :';the deliart'mcnt); '-'.v.'■',';,['■;)/■■ '■;;:■;.. ''.'■•..;.-'|.■'"''.'. ■:• Hon. J. Carroll's Remarks. ■'.•'[

,';th"o' : lipn. ; 'JftniEs■ Carroll. (Actilig-Priine Jlihist : er)'said'{that Coloiiel , Collins .had beciiassqeiated::/■■:with.■ administrations, wlijcli : had liecn; rcsponsiblo .for .shaping .tho .■ destinies,of;.this;country, and -ovor sonio.ol■, -the' '■niost-importaiit-deVolopmenta'. that, had. \ be,on.. star.tod.-\|ie' jhad i.the ' honour,arid ■ tho.:. special;'qualifications,..to;; preside.;' He', sug-.",; gested 'tuat. the bar.eor 'of .Colonel" Collins, liis ■;adhorcned: and. attehtion' to. duty-, his ,; .oonsidQration-.foi-.thbie'.Hnder him, ' vptioU;'loj'thp,.public. wc,al, ;migbt bo handed down ■ to ';thp..y l oHngm.' generation of. the. scV» ■ vico'as a.' trMiHo'i'i up '.to ; which they should'; live.- Mr/ Carroll dwelt on.tho unique nature of; Jho_disti!!otio.ir_cbjifei:)-cd .on ; .Cplo.nc] .Col-.;. lins,'.and..ihear.tily,.-.endorsed, /tho ..trilmtca , which- his'.t fclloyr-Ministcr.l bail ■< expressed. ■ '

I i 7t Roftlyv. s ;';:■;•■•■■-:•.; • : jeolo.ncjliGpllinsi'iii.reljl.vjh'gj'said bo'.tlio'tfglievJhaf'iib'.mali'.ilnhis , ppaitii.li.'could fotl.otlict.: : tlian-'pr6ud.',onSßUcli.^an:;occasion. . Hβ \ap- ..."-. (predated very ■' much' -the kiiid feelings that \ ■had prompted v 'tlie afid thanked •;■■ those who .'had ..'tendered-'congratulations'ami. , '-. 'good wishes; vltnv.^s -'only in rard'instances' that V. Ciy.il' ScK'ant A could ■ look .for ■ public' . ■ recognition;'.and, if for!that reason,3ll(l no, V btlier, liff'fclt'pixiuci fliaVlie" liad.boon selected \.',, by- His. Md}6stj'.'ithel.Kiifg.fq>'the distmo-, , tibiv thai li.id' ' bccii' ctns'crred' »ipb\i him. • .. Whatever .services-hoi'Jiadi rendered to .hie country had.mct ;witli due'recognition- in tho . ..' honour •whioh"liis-Soveroi(!ii -had, boon, pleased 'to;bestow oh Mm.' He_Uiaukcd Mr. Carroll and' Mr. Miliar; for , their'kind'remarks, , .and \~ tho 'gathering' for.tlieir lianilsomo. tokbn. '■' of esteem!' ' : Ho : ''had:'had;"urt3er"liim' : "aTmoft'""' . loyal and, poriscientiousj'staff,' and ! 'wh'atever' - /the , Treaiurj.ihafl,.'beeiii-, called upVm. to';■ do. , they'had boen equal ..to the'work.. Consider-; ing-.tho unp'ortanti.partv.\y]iicliitlio hadplaycd m the business, of tho. Government of::tnis..:con.nt'ry,:ho imnst feel jiroud of'tbo . Treasury i. and ,of /.the ;Avork it. performed.., Addrossingj.tbei'younger'niembors of the.staff, ,, .;. particularly/'Colonel; Collijiß'said .that-■ivhon—.. ho bad commeheod»by-writing- cheques ho did hot-find, it: congenial work. Ho determined '' that: he • would '■ not remain, at. that . stagcv and- when, ho had dono his own work ho-was pren'arcd'io^ssist-others, Tho result : . .was.thaii.jtlipUEhJic'had noinfluonco to push \ him along, r .in,nino moiitKa lip" was pronititoil : .abpyo.men'wlio t liad'Be(sh l iiia\iy.ycara iti tljq ; : sorviocV ,Everyicji'det.in;tlio;-Depari.mcii'f^hij. l ', : claimed, carried tho .warrant of a paymaVter-'.i , generalia :; hißWallot, . No;liead.of',a;Dpp;;rtri ■ ment' hid'"d ; v -luor©'-' jl-bltt'-'aivd''n'iUinc , lot- of ~ workers"thaji'.]io"had,-'aiid. the loyal assist--akje;. and cderotiopUo .work -of, ilr.. Vineoht, ;. his accountant, worS uiteqfla'lled ih the Civil gorvice. (Applause.)'" Ho than&d them again fbr'thbir"presentation'and! good wishes; :."•'