ury ▁ ▁Life ▁and ▁career ▁ ▁James ▁Collins ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁March ▁ 1 8 6 9 ▁in ▁Sebast opol , ▁Victoria . ▁ ▁Collins ▁joined ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁Public ▁Service ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁having ▁before ▁feder ation ▁assist ed ▁to ▁prepare ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁colonial ▁budget ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁organ ising ▁and ▁running ▁the ▁first ▁Victor ian ▁Old ▁Age ▁P ensions ▁Office . ▁ ▁Between ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁and ▁ 1 9 2 6 , ▁Collins ▁was ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁Government ▁Department ▁of ▁the ▁Tre as ury . ▁His ▁official ▁duties ▁included ▁a ▁financial ▁mission ▁to ▁London ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 . ▁That ▁same ▁year ▁he ▁also ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Br uss els ▁as ▁the ▁sole ▁Australian ▁delegate ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁International ▁Fin an cial ▁Conference . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 6 , ▁Collins ▁was ▁appointed ▁financial ▁ad visor ▁to ▁the ▁Australian ▁Government ▁in ▁London . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁deleg ation ▁at ▁the ▁Assembly ▁of ▁the ▁League ▁of ▁Nations . ▁His ▁deleg ation ▁special ised ▁in ▁discuss ions ▁on ▁fin ance , ▁econom ics ▁and ▁dis arm aments . ▁ ▁Collins ▁became ▁seriously ▁ill ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁although ▁he ▁told ▁media ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁that ▁the ▁serious ness ▁of ▁his ▁ill ness ▁had ▁been ▁ex agger ated