LATE MR LYONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 13 April 1939, Page 11

LATE MR LYONS

j FURTHER TRIBUTES PAID j REQUIEM MASS IN MELBOURNE vt! I* A —Hi Electric Telegraph —Copy richtl MELBONRNE, 12th April. The widow of the late Prime Minister, Mr J. A. Lyons, and three of his elder children, flew to Melbourne from Sydney to-day, where the children attended a Requiem Mass in St. Patrick's Cathedral, which was thronged by 5000 | people. 1 Father Mannix was the celebrant. ! Sir Earle Page, the Prime Minister, some members of the Federal Cabinet, the leader of the Federal Opposition, Mr Curtin, and the former GovernorGeneral, Sir Isaac Isaacs, were present. Melbourne has rarely seen a ceremony of such moving solemnity as the : Requiem Mass in St. Patrick’s. The ; panegyric was preached by the admin- [ istrator of the cathedral, the Very Rev. Dr. Lyons, who said in conclusion that the late Prime Minister had been called to his reward on the day his Divine Master carried His cross and died on it. "This great crowd is gathered here to pay tribute and offer gratitude to one who will be remembered among the great ones of this young Australia,” he concluded. Thousands stood outside the cathedral in drizzling rain while the Mass was proceeding. Dame Lyons was not well enough to attend. The burial of Mr Lyons will take place at Devonport to-morrow afternoon. Members of the Cabinet at present in Melbourne will fly to Devonport in the morning. SYMPATHY OF NATIONAL PARTY i L'niied Press Association 1 WELLINGTON. 12th April. The following cable message, express- ! ing the sympathy of the New Zealand J National Party at the death of the Prime Minister of Australia. Mr Lyons, j has been sent to the Deputy-Prime Minister of Australia, Sir Earle Page, iby the leader of the party, Mr Hamj ilton:— "To the Government and to the 1 j people of Australia I wish to express j !my own profound regret and that of; every member of the National Party in j , j New Zealand at the passing of Mr! j Lyons. Memories of his great quai-; ities as a leader, his genuine appreciation of the rights of British people un- ; 1 der democratic government, and his j ; fearless defence of those rights, his in-f tense patriotism and his personal example of good citizenship remain as a great inspiration. Not only Australia, but also the whole of the British Empire. has lost a sincere and able statesman. Please convey to Dame Enid my expression of sincerest sympathy with her. and with her family, in their great