Bill Turner (public servant) explained

Bill Turner
Office1:Comptroller-General of the Department of Trade and Customs
Term Start1:7 January 1949
Term End1:30 December 1952
Birth Name:William Terry Turner
Birth Date:1 December 1887
Birth Place:Woolloomooloo, New South Wales
Death Place:Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Occupation:Public servant
Nationality: Australian

William Terry Turner (1 December 188726 January 1959) was a senior Australian public servant. He was Comptroller-General of Customs between 1949 and 1952, heading the Department of Trade and Customs.

Life and career

Turner was born in Woolloomooloo, New South Wales on 1 December 1887.

Turner joined the Commonwealth Public Service in 1905 in as a clerk in the Department of Trade and Customs. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in 1916, and embarked from Australia for overseas service on 24 January 1917 aboard HMAT Anchises A68. After he returned from military service, Turner returned to the customs department and was put in charge of the activities of the Commonwealth public trustee and subsequently the Clearing Office in New South Wales. During the Second World War, Turner was responsible for contraband administration and export control.[1]

He was promoted to the role of Comptroller-General in January 1949. He retired in 1952, with plans to spend his retirement in Canberra.[2] Colleagues and business stakeholders celebrated Turner's retirement and honoured him at a function at the Menzies Hotel. More than 100 people attended, and Turner was presented with an Australian painting and a radiogram for his wife Annie.[3]

Turner died on 26 January 1959 at Canberra Community Hospital. His body was cremated.

Awards

Turner was made a companion of the Imperial Service Order in June 1953, in recognition of his public service as Comptroller-General of Customs.

Notes and References

  1. News: Death of Mr. W. T. Turner. The Canberra Times. ACT. 27 January 1959. 2.
  2. News: Customs Chief farewelled. 7 November 1952. The Argus. Melbourne, Victoria. 4.
  3. News: Tributes to Customs man. The Argus. Melbourne, Victoria. 11 November 1952. 7.