Labour Australia

John Harold Oswald Paterson (1906-1968), bank officer and unionist

Born: 1906, Rutherglen, Victoria, second son of John Harold Oswell Paterson, dentist, and Evelina Martin. Married: Ethel Robina Nankervis in 1929. They had two sons, one daughter. Died: 24 December 1968, Cheltenham, Victoria. Presbyterian.

• Officer, Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd. (CBA);
• Worked in several city and suburban branches for five? years and in 1936 transferred to Warracknabeal;
• Representative of CBA members on the Victorian Branch Committee of Management of Bankers' Association from 1941;
• Vice-president of Federal Council, Bankers' Assoc.; 1942-45;
• General Pres. Australian Bank Officials Association (ABOA) in 1945-1953 (retired);
• Opposed the anti-nationalisation stance of Card et. al. ? during this period (Believed that ABOA should stand aside from Bank Nationalisation as a political issue); Represented Association at all conferences with other associations and with Banks for 11 years;
• Acting Gen. Sec. and editor of The Banker's Journal for 15 months during 1948-49 and 1953;
• Life membership in 1947;
• Prepared case and advocated before the Commonwealth Arbitration Court for a new award for bank officers, 1950;
• Pres. Five-Day Week Council;
• Lay preacher with Presbyterian Church.

Merrifield Card Index; Bankers' Journal, June 1949, p.10, Feb-March 1953, p.2; Australian Bank Officer, Feb-March 1968, p.7;