N. Hebrides Old identity
p. 31 · Read in the full issue
Passes Death of "Dick" Collins
Mr. Richard (“Dick”) Collins,
for long years a trader on the Is land of Aoba, New Hebrides, died in the Paton Memorial Hospital at Vila on December 6, and was buried in the Roman Catholic cemetery the following day. He was 69 years of age.
Prior to coming to the New Hebrides some 40 years ago, Mr. Collins was a concert artist in his home town, Glas gow; and, later, he toured the United States. Canada, Australia and New Zea land. He knew Harry Lauder in his struggling days.
A bout of pneumonia in Sydney in the early nineteen hundreds ruined “Dick’s” voice and ended his stage career. He then went to the New Hebrides: first as an employee of Burns Philp (S.S.) Co., on the old inter-island steamer, S.S. “Tambo”. He later started as a trader on Aoba. In 1932, due to his in creasing years, and the trade depression, “Dick” gave up his trading station and carried on (not very successfully) as a small contractor at Vila.
During all his years in the New Heb rides, “Dick” Collins was held in the high est esteem by both British and French, and his word was known as his bond.
His death marks the passing of another of the old-timers of the British com munity, now sadly reduced in numbers.
He left a widow.