Mr. Edwin Erskine Collins , Engineer of the Muddy Creek Dredge, Waikaia, is the third son of Mr J. F. Collins, settler, and was born at Clovelley Farm, New River, in 1867. He was educated at the Southland Boys' High School, worked upon his father's farm for two years, after, which he was apprenticed to Messrs Joseph Johnson and Sons, of the Vulcan Foundry, Invercargill, where he learned the trade of a mechanical engineer. In 1893, he joined the Southland Frozen Meat Company as third engineer at its works at Mataura, and in 1895, he was promoted to second engineer at the Mataura works. Mr Collins takes a great interest in athletic sports; was at one time deputy-captain of the Invercargill Football Club; was, when at school, champion of the Boys' High School sports, and, later on, winner of the high jump, at the Amateur Athletic Sports, at Invercargill; and captain of the Mataura Cycling Club. After leaving the freezing works, he took up his present appointment.