CABLE NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.—COPYRIGHT.] DEATH OF THE PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 77, 28 September 1898, Page 5

CABLE NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. — COPYRIGHT.] DEATH OF THE PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND.

* A SUDDEN- COLLAPSE. [PBESS ASSOCIATION.] (Received September 28, 10 a.m.) Bhisbane, This Day. The Hon. T. J. Byrnes, Premier of Queensland, who has lately been suffering from bronchial pneumonia, died shortly after midnight, in the preseuce of all the members of his family. The immediate cause of death was failure of the heart's action. The deceased was in his 38th year. (Received September 28,1 0.55 a.m.) Brisbane, This Day. Mr. "Byrnes had apparently had a slight improvement just before the final collapse. The heart suddenly failed without warning. Efforts were made to restore animation and consciousness, but without avail. Mr. Byrnes, the youngest Premier in office in Australasia, has had but a short lease of power. He took office in April last, on the resignation of Sir Hugh Nelson, in whose Ministry he had up to that stage been Attorney-General. The deceased gentleman was born at Brisbane in November, 1860, and began his education at the Bowen Primary School, „ whence scholarships and exhibitions carried him on to the Brisbane Secondary School (where he won the Lilley Gold Medal three times) and the Melbourne University, where he was first on the list in his matriculation examination. At the University he again won several scholarships, and eventually he graduated with honours, taking the B.A. and LL.B. degrees. He was called to the Bar in Victoria in 1884, and then returned to Queensland, where he speedily obtained a leading position at the Supreme Court Bar. In 1890 he accepted a seat in the Legislative Council, with the office of Solicitor - General in the Griffith - M'Hwraith Ministry. In the Nelson Ministry he was Attorney-General until, on the retirement of his chief to assume the office of President of the Legislative Council, he took the head of affairs. Since his accession to office Mr. Byrnes has shown signs of modifying the squattocrat policy which had previously characterised his Party.