OBITUARY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 136, 6 December 1944, Page 6

OBITUARY

SIR J. T. GROSE

The death occurred last night of Sir James Trevilly Grose, X.8., former general manager of the National Bank of New Zealand, and one of the best known and respected figures in the Dominion's financial world. Sir James retired from active banking business in 1937, after 50 years' service in Australia and New Zealand. He retained his association with the bank, however, as a director and was also a director of other important financial and commercial companies. Sir James was born at Townsville, Queensland, and there started his banking career in 1888 at the age of 16. He was subsequently promoted to inspection work in Queensland, and in 1909 was transferred to Brisbane, where he relieved the Queensland inspector of the Bank of New South Wales for a year. Promotion to the head office in Sydney followed, and after acting as secretary of the Bank of New South Wales for a period, he served for some six or seven years immediately under Sir John R. French, general manager. Towards the conclusion of the war in 1918 he was lent by the Bank of New South Wales to the Commonwealth Government," and at Melbourne acted as financial secretary to the Defence Department. In 1919 he returned to the service of the Bank of New South Wales, and took up the position of staff inspector. In 1921 he was appointed metropolitan inspector of the bank, and three years .later he became inspector for the Bank of New South Wales for Queensland. Sir James Grose came to New "Zealand about the end of 1926 as inspector in charge of the Bank of New South Wales in the Dominion. In 1928 he was offered and accepted the position of general manager of the National Bank of New Zealand, Limited, in succession to the late Mr. G. W. McIntosh. Shortly afterwards Sir James was elected chairman of the Associated Banks in New Zealand, but he relinquished that position when he paid a visit to England and America in

1929. " In 1932 and 1933 he was again chairman of the Associated Banks and rendered signal service to New Zealand during a difficult period. A practical recognition of his service to his country was the knighthood conferred on Sir James in 1934. On the occasion of his retirement in 1937 many tributes were paid to his services to banking, particularly during his nine years as general manager of the National Bank. He brought the bank through unprecedehtedly difficult years with an enhanced prestige, and earned for himself a reputation in outside banking circles for sound judgment and administrative capacity. Sir James had many interests, among them the Navy League and the Boy Scouts movement. He was a member of the Navy League*, and for a number of years chairman of its executive. He was also for a period Dominion president, and preceded Sir Charles Norwood as president of the Wellington branch. During recent years he took an active part in the administration of the Boy Scouts Association, being its Dominion president. He was keenly interested in Church of England affairs, and was a member of the vestry of St. Luke's, "Wadestown. He was also director of the Citizens'

Committee for the Centenary Cathedral fund appeal. Church music also attracted his attention, and in Australia he gained some distinction as a choirmaster. Sir James was an active freemason, and was a member of the Wellington Golf Club and the Wellington and Wellesley Clubs. He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. G. I. Saunders, of Wellington. A son died on active service. The funeral service will be held at St. Luke's, Wadestown, tomorrow" morning, at 11.30 o'clock.