Colonel Robert Ward Tate (24 July 1864 – 28 December 1938) was the First Civil Administrator of Samoa (then Western Samoa) from 28 January 1919 to 16 March 1923, succeeding Robert Logan. He was a lawyer and magistrate in New Zealand, and a prominent freemason. He was a Colonel in the New Zealand Army, in the Volunteer and Territorial services and in charge of the Wellington Military District and Adjutant-General in World War I, No 82004. He has two files available online from Archives New Zealand. He found it difficult to explain the meaning of his "traditional" army rank. He was appointed a

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

in the

1918 New Year Honours The 1918 New Year Honours were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of the British Empire. The appointments were published in ''The London Gazette'' and ''The Times'' in Ja ...

, and a

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III. ...

in the

1923 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1923 were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by members of the British Empire. They were published on 29 December 1922. The recipients of honours are displayed here ...

. Tate was educated at

Timaru Boys' High School Timaru Boys' High School (also known as TBHS), established in 1880, is a single sex state (public) secondary school located in the port city of Timaru, South Canterbury, New Zealand. TBHS caters for years 9 to 13 (ages 12 to 19 years). At th ...

and after studying law was admitted to the bar in 1886, and started a practice in Greytown. He was appointed Stipendary Magistrate in Whangarei after his return from Samoa, then to

New Plymouth New Plymouth ( mi, Ngāmotu) is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, Devon from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. ...

. He died aged 74 in Greytown Hospital where he retired to in 1933, resuming his former legal partnership with Mr J. F. Thomson. He was survived by his second wife, two sons and two daughters.

References

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tate, Robert 1864 births 1938 deaths People educated at Timaru Boys' High School 19th-century New Zealand lawyers 20th-century New Zealand judges New Zealand military personnel of World War I New Zealand Army officers New Zealand Freemasons 1910s in Samoa 1920s in Western Samoa Trust Territory New Zealand Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George New Zealand Commanders of the Order of the British Empire