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DEATH OF MR. R.
COCKBURN
Deputy Hansard Leader And
Nomenclature Expert
The death occurred at his home
in Malvern yesterday of Mr.
Rodney Cockburn. assistant
leader of the "Hansard" staff and sec-
retary or Royal Commissions. Mr.
Cockburn was 55. He had been in
indifferent health for some time.
Not until sheer physical weakness
compelled withdrawal from active
duties did Mr.
Cockburn's tireless
industry and un-
quenchable en-
thusiasm show
any diminution.
He was reluctant
to apply for what
proved to be his
final leave, but
was forced to do
so by increasing
ill-health. Even
then his abound-
ing cheerfulness
was not con-
quered, because
he contemplated
an early return to
duty. Throughout
the past year, al-
though in ill-
health. Mr .
Cockburn continued to perform his
task with the same meticulous care
and ability that had always distin-
guished whatever work he undertook.
He was a pattern of system and re-
liability.
Collapse At Work
At Port Augusta, about the middle
of May, Mr. Cockburn collapsed while
on the way to Western Austria with
the Public Works Committee. He was
forced to return to Adelaide, and the
respite gained during the Committee's
absence permitted at least a temporary
recovery.
Mr. Cockburn continued at work un-
til towards the end of July, when he
applied for sick leave. It was only
then that he realised that he would
never resume his duties, and he had
resolved to fill in the rest of his days
on his nomenclature, the unpublished
records of which made an orderly ar-
ray on the shelves of his room.
Where Mr. Cockbum's ability was so
invaluable to the Public Works Com-
mittee was in the rare gift of being
able to select quickly the essential
points in voluminous ertdence and give
them lucid presentation. He had a
flair for significance and relevancy in
material for public consideration.
Tribute From Colleague
Mr. Fred Johns, author of "Who's
Who in Australia," and leader of the
"Hansard" staff, who was his col-
league for 40 years, yesterday wrote the
following tribute to his friend:—
"The passing of Mr. Rodney Cock-
burn, widely and favorably known as
the State's authority on nomenclature,
and highly esteemed for his many love-
able qualities, bright and breezy na-
ture, and sparkling wit and humor,
will be keenly felt by old comrades,
and particularly by those who knew
him intimately in his professional and
private life, and in the public service of
the State. Born at Kent Town on
Trafalgar Day. 1877, he was given his
Christian name after the great Eng-
lish Admiral Rodney, who was raised
to the peerage for defeat of the com-
bined French and Spanish squad-
rons off Martinique late in the 18th
century, his father, the late George
Cockburn, having had his first expe-
rience in the navy on board H.M.S.
Rodney. George Cockburn served in
the China War under Sir Day
Bosanquet. who about fifty years after
became South Australia's Gover-
nor.
"For close on forty years, Rodney
Cockburn and I were fellow-workers
together. I therefore knew his worth
and character, his exceptional talents,
his genuineness, his enthusiasm for
work as well as for play, the joy of his
company, the constancy and strength
of his friendship. His temperamental
faults, and who hasn't them?—were
overshadowed by his excellences. We
were contemporaries for about twenty
years on the old "Register," when the
Grenfell street journal saw flourishing
days, and was a power in the land.
When in July. 1914. the Peake Cabinet
decided to establish en official "Han-
sard" staff, we left journalism on our
appointment to Parliament House.
The "Register" Office was one of the
best schools in Australia anyone could
have passed through. So on quitting
newspaper life Cockburn was admir-
ably equipped for his new duties. Dur-
ing his more than eighteen years' con-
nection with the Government service,
he rendered loyal and brilliant work.
or great capacity, untiring industry,
with cheerful co-operation, conscien-
tious and thorough, never shirking re-
sponsibility, he always gave of his best
and often, from a high sense of duty
—unfortunately for his indifferent
health in recent years—exceeded the
limitations of bis physical powers.
Through his death the Government
has lost one of its ablest officers.
"Cockburn's lifelong literary hobby
was South Australian nomenclature.
An unquestioned authority on the sub-
ject. In which he displayed absorbing
interest, he gave generous and notable
service to the public through the news-
papers, and as a member of the Nomen-
clature Committee, which was ap-
pointed by the Government during the
War. Cockburn has left in manu-
script an entire revision and enlarge-
ment of his well-known work, which
was originally published in the "Re-
gister," a quarter of a century ago.
Through his interest in, and close study
of aboriginal lore, and his extensive
knowledge in connection with place
names of bis native State, Rodney
Cockburn has left an enduring record
of historic value. With a literary col-
league, he collaborated in the author-
ship of the 'Pastoral Pioneers of South
Australia' (two volumes), published in
Adelaide some years ago, which were
acknowledged to be a valuable contri-
bution to our biographical literature."
Mr. Cockburn leaves a widow and
one son.
Mr. Rodney Cockbnra Help
Mr. Rodney
Cockbnra
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