# Benjamin Robbins
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{{Short description|New Zealand politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Benjamin Conrad Robbins
| honorific_suffix =
| image = Mayor Benjamin Conrad Robbins.jpg
| image_size =
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| caption =
| order = 14th
| office = Mayor of Tauranga
| majority =
| term_start = 6 May 1912
| term_end = 5 May 1915
| predecessor = [Charles Jordan](/source/Charles_Jordan_(mayor))
| successor = [Charles Macmillan](/source/Charles_Macmillan)
| term_start2 = 9 May 1929
| term_end2 = 11 May 1933
| predecessor2 = [Bradshaw Dive](/source/Bradshaw_Dive)
| successor2 = [Alfred Francis Daly Tunks](/source/Alfred_Francis_Daly_Tunks)
| birth_date = 1857
| birth_place = [Yarmouth, Nova Scotia](/source/Yarmouth%2C_Nova_Scotia)
| death_date = 20 January 1953
| death_place =
| resting_place = Presbyterian Cemetery, [Tauranga](/source/Tauranga)
| resting_place_coordinates =
| party = [Liberal](/source/New_Zealand_Liberal_Party)
| spouse =
| relations =
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}}
'''Benjamin Conrad "Cockie" Robbins''' (1857 – 20 January 1953) was a member of the [New Zealand Legislative Council](/source/New_Zealand_Legislative_Council) from 9 March 1936 to 8 March 1943; and 9 March 1943 to 8 March 1950.[{{cite book |last=Wilson |first=James Oakley |year=1985 |title=New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition=4th |orig-year=First ed. published 1913 |publisher=V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location=Wellington |page=163 |oclc=154283103}}]
Robbins was born in [Yarmouth, Nova Scotia](/source/Yarmouth%2C_Nova_Scotia), son of Capt. B. Robbins, and educated at the Yarmouth Academy.[{{cite news |title=Upper House |newspaper=[Auckland Star](/source/Auckland_Star) |volume=LXVII |issue=59 |page=9 |url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19360310.2.91 |access-date=18 July 2015 |date=10 March 1936}}] He arrived in Wellington in 1874, and was a storekeeper in [Hāwera](/source/H%C4%81wera) 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.[Who's Who in New Zealand, 5th edn p200 (1951)]
His first public service was as a member of the school committee in [Hāwera](/source/H%C4%81wera) for a good decade, where he was chairman for most of that time.[{{cite news |title=The General Election |newspaper=Bay of Plenty Times |volume=XVIII |issue=7254 |page=3 |url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=BOPT19191025.2.11 |access-date=7 December 2014 |date=25 October 1919}}] He was a member of the Hawera Borough Council for fifteen years and Mayor of Hawera for seven years.[{{cite web |title=Robbins Park, Tauranga |publisher=Tauranga City Libraries |url=http://tauranga.kete.net.nz/tauranga_local_history/topics/show/632 |access-date=9 January 2014}}] Robbins stood in the {{NZ election link|1893}} in the {{NZ electorate link|Egmont}} electorate and came second of three candidates.[{{cite web |title=The General Election, 1893 |publisher=[National Library](/source/National_Library_of_New_Zealand) |year=1894 |page=1 |url=http://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&cl=search&d=AJHR1894-I.2.3.2.21 |access-date=19 November 2013}}] He contested the {{NZ electorate link|Hawera}} electorate in the {{NZ election link year|1896}} and {{NZ election link|1905}}s. He came a close second in 1896,[{{cite news |title=Electoral District of Hawera |newspaper=Hawera & Normanby Star |volume=XXXIII |issue=3418 |page=3 |url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=HNS18961209.2.17.1 |access-date=9 January 2014 |date=9 December 1896}}] and came third in 1905.[{{cite book
| title = The General Election, 1905
| publisher = [National Library](/source/National_Library_of_New_Zealand)
| year = 1906
| url = http://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&cl=search&d=AJHR1906-I.2.1.5.7
| page = 2
}}]
Robbins moved to [Tauranga](/source/Tauranga) in 1911, and was [Mayor of Tauranga](/source/Mayor_of_Tauranga) twice, from 1912 to 1915 and 1929 to 1933.[{{cite news |title=Borough of Tauranga |newspaper=[Bay of Plenty Times](/source/Bay_of_Plenty_Times) |volume=XLIII |issue=6361 |page=3 |url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=BOPT19150421.2.16.4 |access-date=7 December 2014 |date=21 April 1915}}]
Robbins stood against the incumbent, [William Herries](/source/William_Herries) of the [Reform Party](/source/New_Zealand_Reform_Party), in the {{NZ election link|1919}} in the {{NZ electorate link|Tauranga}} electorate and was beaten with a margin of over 30% of the vote.[{{cite book |last=Hislop |first=J. |year=1921 |title=The General Election, 1919 |publisher=[National Library](/source/National_Library_of_New_Zealand) |url=http://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&d=AJHR1921-I-II.2.3.2.45 |page=3}}] He initially declared himself an Independent Progressive Liberal but received the endorsement of [Joseph Ward](/source/Joseph_Ward) and was the official candidate of the [Liberal Party](/source/New_Zealand_Liberal_Party).[{{cite news |title=Liberal Selection for Tauranga |newspaper=[Wairarapa Daily Times](/source/Wairarapa_Daily_Times) |volume=45 |issue=13977 |page=5 |url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=WDT19191111.2.25.5 |access-date=7 December 2014 |date=11 November 1919}}]
He was appointed to the Legislative Council by the [First Labour Government](/source/First_Labour_Government_of_New_Zealand). He died in January 1953 aged 96 and is buried at the Presbyterian Cemetery on 18th Avenue in Tauranga.[{{cite web |title=Cemeteries Detail |publisher=Tauranga City Council |url=https://www.tauranga.govt.nz/council-facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search/cemeteries-detail/tabid/2455/tctl/5323_/Default.aspx?plotid=PRESBYTERIAN*B1602 |access-date=7 December 2014}}]
He married in 1877 Jane Anne Ross (died 6 March 1950).