David Miller was born on 27 March 1857 in Sydney, and was educated at public schools.  He joined the NSW Public Service on 15 February 1875.  He progressed from Secretary to the Surveyor General of NSW   to Assistant Accountant of the NSW Lands Department, to Chief Clerk of the NSW Government Printing Office and finally Inspector in the NSW Treasury.

Miller's military service started in 1885 when he was appointed as a 2nd Lieutenant in the NSW Militia.  In 1891 he became a Captain in the Army  Service Corps becoming a Major in 1894.  During the Boer War Miller went to Rhodesia attached to the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps.  He saw service in the Transvaal and in the Orange River and Cape Colonies as an officer of the 6th Imperial Bushmen.  In 1901 he was Staff Officer of Overseas Colonial Forces in Cape Town.
 
Miller returned to Australia and joined the Federal Public Service as Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs [I] (CA 8) on 19 November 1901.  On 1 January 1902 he was gazetted as Authorizing Officer in the Department.  Miller was a member, around 1910 of the Railway War Council.  

The need to refer matters dealing with the Capital Territory to the Department's headquarters in Melbourne caused constant delays.  Therefore on 8 August 1912, Miller was appointed resident Administrator of the Capital Territory (CA 741) and retained nominally his position as Secretary of the Department.  As Administrator, he was independent of the Department and responsible directly to the Minister for Home Affairs.  Miller remained as Administrator until 6 January 1916.  

From 6 January to 15 December 1916 Miller was Commandant of the Australian Imperial Force in NSW and District Inspector of Camps, in command of Military Camps in NSW.  He then returned to his appointment as Administrator of the Capital Territory and Secretary of the Department of Works and Railways (CA 14), which had, with the Department of Home and Territories, (CA 15) displaced the Department of Home Affairs [I] (CA 8), on 14 November 1916.  Miller held both appointments until his retirement on 31 August 1917.
 
Miller died in Glen Innes, where he had a property, in 1934.  He had been awarded the Imperial Service Order in 1903 and was appointed as a Companion of St Michael and St George in 1913.


Sources

Who's Who in Australia 1922, 1935
Commonwealth Gazettes

Agency associated with person unregistered

by1910-?1910: Railway War Council - Member