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Clan Munro USA
Genealogy Pages
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 1907 - 1995 (88 years)
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| Name |
Robert Lindsay Munro [1] |
| Prefix |
Sir |
| Born |
2 Apr 1907 |
Remuera, , , New Zealand  [1] |
| Gender |
Male |
| Died |
12 Jul 1995 [1] |
- The following obituary is from "The Times" - 19 Aug 1995
"Sir Robert Munro
Sir Robert Munro, CBE, former President of the Senate in Fiji, died on July 12 aged 88. He was born on April 2, 1907.
Robert Munro was one of Fiji's leading public figures for half a century, both before and after the granting of independence 25 years ago. From being the founder chairman of Fiji's Town Planning Board after the war he took on a similar role at the new Broadcasting Commission, modeled on the BBC, in 1953 (resigning from the board of the Fiji Times before doing so) and then became president ten years later of the Family Planning Association (FPA).
He led Fiji's FPA for the next quarter of a century, during which its success in curbing the country's population explosion won international acclaim. Munro himself masterminded much of the campaign, producing a monthly newsletter and traveling far and wide to help promote it. The association sold condoms for a penny each to encourage birth control throughout the country.
His most distinguished role, however, was as President (in effect the Speaker) of the Senate, the upper house in Fiji's Parliament. Invited to accept the appointment by the country's Prime Minister at the time of independence in 1970, he set lasting standards of integrity and independence before retiring in 1982.
He was, therefore, in no way involved in the 1987 coup which overthrew the Government, declared Fiji a republic, rewrote the constitution to favour ethnic Fijians (as opposed to Indians) and led to Fiji being expelled from the Commonwealth.
Fiji was in fact only Munro's adopted country. He had sailed there as a young lawyer in the 1930s to escape the Depression in his native New Zealand - a voyage which in those days took three days and four nights.
He was born Robert Lindsay Munro in the Auckland suburb of Remuera, the son of an inspector of schools and former headmaster. But the family had its origins in Thurso, Caithness, from where his great-grandfather had emigrated to New Zealand in 1867.
From Auckland Grammar School he went to read law at Auckland University, then began work at a legal practice in Hamilton, North Island, some 50 miles south of Auckland. With prospects for young professionals looking bleak during the Depression, however, he answered an advertisement placed by Sir Howard Ellis, one of Fiji's leading lawyers, for an energetic young barrister/solicitor (neither New Zealand nor Fiji distinguishes between the two). It was a decision which shaped Munro's future career.
He served throughout the Second World War in the 2nd Battalion of the Fiji Military Forces. The 1st Battalion had left to fight the Japanese in the Solomon Islands while the 2nd remained behind to guard the homeland against the threat of invasion.
Military service became part-time as the threat subsided, allowing Munro to resume his career and to climb the ladder - eventually becoming the senior partner in his firm. The practice is now known as Munro, Leys & Co., He twice served as president of Fiji's Law Society and at various times belonged to the Legislative Council, the Education Board and Education Advisory Council, and the National Health Advisory Committee. He was also on the governing body of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and represented the Fijian Government at a number of overseas conferences and seminars.
He was particularly proud of serving the Norwegian Government as honorary consul for Figi, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, the Phoenix Islands and Tonga between 1949 and 1988 - a function which earned him the Order of St Olav. He was knighted in 1977.
But despite his burgeoning commitments, Munro continued his profession as a lawyer, specializing in commercial law. Although in later years he reduced his role to that of consultant, he still worked a full day at his office until six months ago when he reduced this to a half-day, and was even at his desk on the day he died.
In later years, however, he complained of being bombarded by faxes. He regretted, he always said, the passing of those days when on receiving a letter in the post in Suva, one had a full month in which to reply before the next mailboat sailed.
He was a rifle-shooting blue at university and was also an international hockey player who captained the New Zealand 1932 hockey team on a famous tour of Australia when they did not lose a single match. Tall and lean, he retained his enthusiasm and drive throughout his life. He had a strong, clear intellect and, although essentially a reserved man, he could also display great charm.
His two brothers also distinguished themselves in their various fields. Sir Leslie Munro became New Zealand's Ambassador to both the United States and the United Nations while Douglas Munro was decorated by France for his scholarly research on Alexandre Dumas.
Robert Munro is survived by his wife Ranee, whom he married in 1937, and by their two sons and one daughter.
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| Person ID |
I25051 |
Munro |
| Last Modified |
15 Jan 2006 |
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| Notes |
- Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA
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| Sources |
- [S435] Clan Munro files - Alger, Allison Munro, Allison Munro Alger, "The Times" - 19 Aug 1995 (Reliability: 3).
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