DEATH OF MR ROBERTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15938, 4 December 1913, Page 7

DEATH OF MR ROBERTS

A WRANGLE WITH THE CHAIRMAN,

SEVERE BLOW TO LABOUR PARTY.

Prta Association—By Tolegrapb—Copyright

MELBOURNE, December 3.

Mr Roberts, who died suddenly yesterday, for many years suffered from heart trouble.

His death was tragic in its circumstances. Just prior- to it he had been engaged in a wrangle with the Chairman of Committees, who threatened Mr Roberts because of his interjection, and said that if he continued in his attitude of insolence towards the Chair he (the Chairman) would have to deal with him.

Mr Roberts getting his hat and stick, was proceeding along the Queen's Hall, when he tottered and fell, clutching the base of the statue of Queen Victoria. Drs Maloney and O'Hara came to his assistance, and pronuunced life extinct. Mr Cook and Mr Fisher paid tributes to the deceased, and the House passed a motion recognising his services and expressing sympathy with his widow and family, and then adjourned until Thursday,

Xt Roberts's death is a severe blow to the Labour party, of which he was a prominent member. s;id so closely follow, ing that of Mr Frnzer (also a leading Labour member) it will be doubly felt.