FORTUNATE MAN

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 123, 21 November 1932, Page 3

FORTUNATE MAN

LATE SIR EDWARD MILLER

Sir Edward Miller,. one of Melbourne's oldest and most prominent business men, who died recently after a three week's illness, had been for many years closely associated with pastoral and mining interests in Australia.

An active business career of over half a century brought Sir Edward Miller into' many movements for the development of Australian resources, while other interests made him a wellknown and much-esteemed figure in charitable and sporting circles of Melbourne. For twenty years he sat in the Legislative Council of Victoria, first as representative of South Yarra in 1892, and afterwards as representative of the East Yarra Province. His father, who died in 1888, was. one of the early pioneers, and so amazingly successful in his ventures that ho became widely known to the public as "Money" Miller. He, too, sat for some time in the Legislative Council Sir Edward Miller's grandfather was Captain Henry Miller, a veteran of the Peninsular War and the Battle of Waterloo, who arrived at Moreton Bay, Queensland, in 1824, and was appointed first commandant there. Born at Richmond on 3rd August, 1848,. Sir Edward Miller was educated privately and at the Melbourne Church of England Grammar School. During most of his business career he was associated with banking, pastoral and mining pursuits. The first scrip of the Broken Hill Proprietary Company was issued in his name. He was part owner of Rocklands Station, Camooweal, Queensland, and chairman of the Victorian Gold-Mining Association, Charters Towers. The latter venture is said to have realised over £500,000 worth of gold, with a share-calling power of less than £5000. Other prosperous concerns with which Sir Edward Miller was associated suggested the descent from father to sou of that legendary ' quality ascribed to Midas in turning everything to gold. For many years Sir1 Edward Miller was also chairman of the Bank of Victoria and of tho Victoria Insurance Company. An active interest in racing, and his association with the celebrated Kedleap stables, induced him to become Master of tho Findon Hunt for twenty years. In -war time he did valuable work as treasurer of the Australian branch of the Bed Cross Society, for which he was knighted in 1917. Besides his long association with tho Bed Cross, Sir Edward Miller was for some time honorary treasurer of the Talbot Colony for Epileptics, wa3 on the committee of the Eye and Ear Hospital, tho Blind Institute, and a member of tho finance committee of the Children's Hospital. In 1918 Lady Miller was decorated with the 0.8. E. in recognition of her patriotic work. Advancing age did not diminish Sir Edward Miller's zest for active interests, and he found much congenial occupation on his farm at Bacchus Marsh. Lady Miller and two sons, one of whom served with the Grenadier Guards in France during the war, survive him.