Obituaries Australia

Mr William Kerr, CMG, CBE, of Belmont ave, Kew, a former chairman of the State Savings Bank of Victoria, and a leading insurance broker, died at his home on Saturday, aged 84.

Born at Kilmore and educated at Melbourne Grammar School, Mr. Kerr established an insurance broking business in 1913.

He became president of the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce in 1916, and two years later was appointed president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of Australia.

During World War I he was chairman of the Commonwealth War Savings Council and the Victorian War Savings Committee, and was elected a commissioner of the State Savings Bank.

At the same time the Commonwealth Government nominated Mr. Kerr as chairman of the Royal Commission on taxation. It was he who was mainly responsible for amalgamation of State and Federal taxation systems.

Throughout his public life Mr. Kerr was prominent in charity work, and was particularly interested in the Boy Scout and Toe H movements.

He was a council member of the Swinburne Technical College, a trustee of the Collins St Independent Church, and chairman of the Congregational Union in Victoria from 1905-6. He had occupied several high offices in Freemasonry, and was a former Mayor of Kew.

He has left a daughter, Mrs V. P. Odgers, of Kew, and a son. Mr L. G. Kerr, of Croydon.

The funeral will take place at Box Hill Cemetery after a private service at his late home at 3.15 pm today.