Francis Russell Miller (2 February 1914 – 25 February 1992) was a New Zealand politician who served as

Mayor of Invercargill The Mayor of Invercargill is the head of the municipal government of Invercargill, New Zealand, and leads the Invercargill City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system every three years. The current m ...

from 1971 to 1983.

Early life

Miller was born in

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

and raised in

Invercargill Invercargill ( , mi, Waihōpai is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. The city lies in the heart of the wide expanse of t ...

. He attended St. George Primary School and

Southland Boys' High School Southland Boys' High School (SBHS) is an all-boys school in Invercargill, New Zealand, and has been the only one in the city since Marist Brothers was merged with St Catherines to form Verdon College in 1982. History SBHS was founded in 1881 an ...

. After graduating from the

University of Otago Medical School The Dunedin School of Medicine is the name of the School of Medicine that is based on the Dunedin campus of the University of Otago. All University of Otago medical students who gain entry after the competitive Health Sciences First Year prog ...

with

Bachelors of Medicine and Surgery Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( la, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; abbreviated most commonly MBBS), is the primary medical degree awarded by medical schools in countries that follow the tradition of the United King ...

, he spent seven years in Britain studying at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

and practising as a surgeon during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. He returned to Invercargill in 1946 and worked as a general practitioner until 1957.

Political career

Miller entered politics in 1962, winning a seat on the

Invercargill City Council Invercargill ( , mi, Waihōpai is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. The city lies in the heart of the wide expanse of ...

as the highest polling non-incumbent candidate. He topped the poll at the next election and was subsequently appointed deputy mayor, a position he held for two terms. In 1971, Miller successfully ran for mayor, defeating fellow councillor F. W. Harvey. He was re-elected in 1974 and did not face a challenger in 1977. In the 1978 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a

Companion of the Queen's Service Order The Queen's Service Order, established by royal warrant of Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, is used to recognise "valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the pu ...

. In 1980, Miller faced his toughest election, but ultimately defeated his deputy mayor and eventual successor Eve Poole. During his mayoralty, he established Invercargill's first

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

relationship with Hobart, Australia. He retired in 1983, and at twelve years was the longest-serving mayor of Invercargill until Tim Shadbolt.

Death

Miller died on 25 February 1992 at the age of 78. He was cremated and interred at the Southland Crematorium.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, F Russell 1914 births 1992 deaths 20th-century New Zealand politicians Burials at Southland Crematorium Invercargill City Councillors Deputy mayors of Invercargill Mayors of Invercargill Companions of the Queen's Service Order New Zealand surgeons New Zealand general practitioners People from Dunedin People educated at Southland Boys' High School University of Otago alumni