OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 223, 8 June 1923, Page 7

OBITUARY

SIR DENISON MILLER Sydney, June 7. Obituary: Sir Denison Miller, 63 years of age.

Death was du» to heart failure, and was sudden and unexpected. He hnd been suffering from a cold for a few days, but nothing serious was anticipated. As governor of the Commonwenlth Bank, he gained a high renutation in connection with the flotation of war loans, repatriation schemes, and patriotic movements generally.—Press Assn.

Sir Denison Miller entered tho service of the Rank of Now South Wales in 1876, and rose to be chief metrpolifan insnector. He was unpointed governor of the Commonwealth Bank on June. 1. 1912. The great growth of tho latter hank was shown bv speeches delivered when the new banking premises in Mo’hourne wore onened. Paying tribute to Sir Denison Miller on that occasion, the Prime Minister (Mr. Hughes) said that during the 10 years since the Commonwealth Bank had been in business its progress. bad been steady n.nd continuous, and its phenomenal success had overwhelmed thoso who had prophesied disaster. It had become a national institution and a part of tho economic life of the Commonwealth. Its success was due in a large measure to thoso who had directed it. The first of these was Sir Denison Miller, and the new building would not only be a memorial to the progress of tho Commonwealth, but also to tho bank’s first governor. Sir Denison Miller said that'lo years ago, with a messenger nnd £5OOO, both lent bv tho Commonwealth Treasury. he had started the bank in a small, upstairs room in a Collins Street building. To-day the staff numbered 1981. of whom 615 were women, and besides 3180 Savings Bank agencies, there were 62 branches and nearly 10,000 agencies and correspondents. The bank raised loans in London for the Commonwealth, South Australia, and Tasmania, and various • other bodies, totalling £78,000,000, of which £52,000,000 were floated by the bank.

E. J. BANFIELD, AUTHOR

(Rec. June 7, 10.15 p.m.) Brisbane, June 7. Obituary.—E. J. Banfield, author, at Dunk Island. —Press Assn.

Edmund James Banfield, after a journalistic career in New South Wales and North Queensland, retired to Dunk Island, whore he devoted himself to the study of the natural features of that part of tropical Australia, and to the record of his observations. He was the author of “Confessions of a Beachcomber,” “My Tropic Isle,” and “Tropic Days.”