Sydney, Apr, 7.
IR Earle Page, the Minister of Commerce and Deputy Prime Minister, has been appointed the new Prime Minister. He has formed a Cabinet which is little changed from the old, but will probably only be in the nature of a stopgap. King George today telegraphed his condolences to Dame Lyons on the death of her husband, Mr. Joseph Lyons, Prime Minister of Australia. The King referred to Mr. Lyons' "eminent services to Australia, which will be remembered with gratitude throughout the Empire."
Mr, Lyons died in hospital this morning of complications following a serious heart attack.
Members of his family, including Mrs, Lyons, were at his bedside.
He was 59 years of age and is the first Premier of Australia to have died in office.
He became iN suddenly on Thursday and rapi idly became worse. He had another seizure last night for fifteen minutes.
A. bulletin issued later stated that there was slight optimism, but his condition was very critical.
Mr, Lyons' illness was thought to have been brought on by the strain of recent events.
His wife, Enid, scarcely left his bedside for two days. Members of the Federal State Cabinet were also present at the hospital. Many shed tears.
Mr. Lyons amazed the doctors by rallying from halt a dozen heart was Kept in off by the Opposition, that it might complete the work it had begun." It was during his administration that Tasmania achieved the distinction of having the only balanced budget in the Commonwealth, Sir Earle Page, Minister of Commerce, broadcast tribute to the late Prime Minister. "It ever man can his hgo career of a great Australian statesman and a great Imperial patriot, who supported and inspired by a talented wife, succeeded in directing the re~ covery of Australia from one of the darkest hours in its history. The premature ending of his wise and useful life is-really due to the intense strain and anxiety which necompanied efforts to help Australia and the Empire in this present extremity," he
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